<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Lost Heir by ellaroundpanda</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26689048">The Lost Heir</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellaroundpanda/pseuds/ellaroundpanda'>ellaroundpanda</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action &amp; Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Hyuuga Hinata-centric, Mystery, NaruHina - Freeform, NaruHina 2020, Slow Burn, i have no idea what to put here, right in the feels, somewhat canon compliant</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:34:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>28,798</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26689048</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellaroundpanda/pseuds/ellaroundpanda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sixteen years ago, a then three year old Hinata was kidnapped by kumo nins only to be taken by a mysterious person that same night. Growing up on a different village, raised by another person who deemed himself to be her father, up until then she had never doubted her heritage, only to find out who her true family was and that her whole life had been nothing short of a lie.</p><p>NARUHINA</p><p>Also posted on ff.net</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>94</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Oh c'mon. Can't we just check?"</p>
<p>"No. We have to return to the village now." The older ninja replied to his student and kept walking, waiting for his other two students to finish gathering their stuff. "Tsunade-sama asked that we deliver this scroll as soon as we could."</p>
<p>"But I'm sure just one quick peak wouldn't hurt." The blond whined as he pointed towards where the suspicious noise had come from.</p>
<p>"Naruto. Be quiet." The pink haired girl slapped the back of his head, making him rub the spot and glaring at her with annoyance. She walked back to her bag and whilst putting her special gloves inside it, she said, "We're almost done with our mission so-"</p>
<p>A loud boom echoed through the forest and the ninja team turned to where the noise had come from. A piercing scream was heard, and they got into their fighting stances. Sakura took her gloves out and as she put them on, Naruto entered sage mode.</p>
<p>"Naruto you stay with me on the ground. Sai get up on the trees with Sakura and wait for our signal." Kakashi, the copy-nin, told them and they all nodded and got ready to fight whoever it was that was coming their way. Naruto summoned two clones and the older ninja lifted his hitai-ate to reveal his <em>Sharingan</em> eye.</p>
<p>They heard a few branches snap and suddenly a white haired girl stumbled her way to the clearing. Her eyes were unfocused, and she was covered in blood and black markings. Before she fell limp on the ground, Sakura jumped down and caught the unconscious girl.</p>
<p>The three blonds quirked an eyebrow up and helped Sakura lay the girl more comfortably. He didn't sense any danger in her, only her chakra reaching low levels.</p>
<p>Kakashi had had a good look at her eyes and couldn't believe it. <em>Could it be?</em></p>
<p>His suspicions deepened when the girl's hair turned a dark shade of blue, near black and she fell unconscious. The damaged black and red armor that covered her body started to fall off as well, making the team 7 ninja's frown.</p>
<p>"What- Who- Sensei?" Naruto couldn't form a coherent sentence. He was so confused. The girl was clearly injured, and she seemed to be running away from something. His sensei was too focused on the girl to say anything, so he nodded towards Sai and his teammate and his clones followed the path the mystery had come from.</p>
<p>"Sensei?" Naruto asked as he saw him crouch down next to Sakura, who was healing the girl. She had a few cuts and bruises; one would assume they had been caused by trees and bushes she had probably run through. Her pale skin began to gain some color as the med-nin worked.</p>
<p>"Naruto," Sakura's jade eyes snapped up and caught his attention. "Your jacket! Now!"</p>
<p>"What? Why?" Removing the black piece of clothing, the blond ninja couldn't be more confused. He was left standing there in a white shirt and orange pants while the medic nin used the garment to cover the unconscious girl she was healing. More pieces of the bluenette's armor fell and turned into dust, revealing more and more skin. Naruto's cheeks burned slightly as his eyes roamed all over the petite girl's body.</p>
<p>"I'm sure she doesn't want to be naked in front of strangers." Naruto's cheeks reddened and he rubbed the back of his neck. Sakura responded by rolling her eyes and moving her glowing green hands towards the smaller wounds that covered the blood soaked girl.</p>
<p>Whoever she was, she had put up a fight. Nails all broken, the skin on her knuckles was torn and she showed signs of chakra exhaustion.</p>
<p>"<em>Can't be." </em>Kakashi was astonished.</p>
<p>One couldn't deny the clear resemblance.</p>
<p>"We need to take this girl to Tsunade-sama." Sakura had already finished healing and said that the girl would probably be unconscious the whole way back to the village.</p>
<p>Kakashi nodded and gathered her in his arms. Sai and the clones came back with nothing relevant to report, only the crash site that held signs of a fight but no traces. Whoever attacked the girl had already fled the scene. A black dagger was the only thing they manager to find.</p>
<p>Naruto watched as his sensei kept spacing out. Something was eating at him and Naruto couldn't put his finger on what it was. But he was sure it had to do with the girl in his arms. The number one unpredictable ninja took a quick peak at the girl before looking back at his female teammate.</p>
<p>Sakura was in the midst of cleaning the blood from her hands, as they kept jumping from one tree branch to another. "Hey, Sakura," Naruto called out, getting closer to the pinkette. "any idea who she is?"</p>
<p>Sakura glanced at said girl, whose head was leaned against her sensei's shoulder, still sleeping. Sai was silent next to them, he himself was trying to figure out what had happened.</p>
<p>"No clue. But whoever she is, she must be hella powerful. She had some fading markings on her skin that I only read about." Sakura shook her head at Naruto's frown.</p>
<p>He hadn't been able to sense her chakra since those markings disappeared. It was as if something was blocking it, but now, as she lay limp in Kakashi's arms, he started to feel it returning. Whatever it was that had been suppressing it was no longer working.</p>
<hr/>
<p>When they arrived back at the village, Sai was sent into the Hyuga compound to get the clan's head, while Sakura went to get some supplies from the hospital.</p>
<p>"Sensei, I don't understand what's happening." Naruto was starting to get annoyed at the grey haired ninja who hadn't given any explanation until now. "Shouldn't we be taking her to the hospital?"</p>
<p>"Everything will be sorted out. Don't worry. If I'm right, this person is very important to the village." Kakashi adjusted the bluenette in his arms and motioned for his student to follow.</p>
<p>The blond shrugged and decided to wait until it all unraveled.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"And she was alone?" Tsunade asked as she cleaned the girl's face with a clean cloth.</p>
<p>"Yes. She had a few minor wounds that Sakura-chan already healed. She fell unconscious almost instantly." Naruto explained as Kakashi kept going through a file, eyebrows coming together as he leaned against the back wall. "But what's even weirder about all of it, was that her hair was stark white and then it turned to this blue black shade." Naruto's hands combed through the incredibly soft strands. "Who is she?" His hands were back in his pockets as they heard a knock on the door.</p>
<p>Said girl lay on a couch inside the Hokage's office. Wearing some spare clothing Tsunade had with her. The sannin shared the same suspicion Kakashi had confided and had agreed to call the Hyuga clan head.</p>
<p>"Come in." Tsunade sat back at her desk and watched as Hiashi strolled in with his daughter and nephew in tow. Naruto stood beside the unconscious girl and decided to sit in the arm rest at her feet.<em> Why were the Hyuga's called here?</em></p>
<p>"You asked for our presence, my lady?" Hiashi's cold blank stare landed on the blonde Hokage. His daughter, Hanabi, stood by her father's side, wearing the same blank expression Hiashi was sporting. Neji was a few steps behind, and once he caught sight of Naruto and the unconscious girl, his impassive expression turned into a curious one.</p>
<p>"Team seven came across a very interesting young lady on their way back to the village." She waved towards the girl who was starting to regain conscience. Naruto adjusted his jacket that served as a makeshift blanket and waited for the Hokage to continue.</p>
<p>All eyes were focused on her and when she opened her own everyone gasped.</p>
<p>The blond nin lost his words and could only stare into pupilless, pale lavender eyes that were a symbol of the Hyuga clan. A sudden thought popped up in his head and it all made sense.</p>
<p>When he felt a smile creep up on his face, Naruto turned to face the solemn Hyuga's.</p>
<p>To say Neji was shocked would be an understatement, his mouth kept opening and closing, making him look like a fish. Hanabi couldn't quite understand what was happening so she remained quiet next to her father, who surprisingly enough, had let a single tear stream down his face.</p>
<p>The older man had to grip Tsunade's desk so that his knees wouldn't give out. He had a whirlwind of emotions cursing through him at that moment. Hanabi held onto her fathers arm asking if he was okay and he shrugged her off gently.</p>
<p>"Where-? Wh-Who are you people?" The girl began to look around the room, at her clothes, hands patting the place where she had been bruised and feeling all eyes in the room turned to her, she held onto the black jacket that had been covering her tighter.</p>
<p>"You are in Konoha, the hidden leaf village. I'm Tsunade Senju, the Hokage." Tsunade placed her elbows in top of her hands and waved around, pointing towards the other people, "These two are part of the team that found and rescued you. Naruto and Kakashi." Naruto gave her a small smile and a hello and Kakashi merely nodded, going back to read his file.</p>
<p>Her gaze turned to the smiling blond, feeling surprisingly at ease, but once she looked back at the woman who called herself <em>Hokage</em>, she felt her body tense. Especially when her eyes landed on the other people who had the same eyes as her. <em>So he was right.</em></p>
<p>"And these are members of one of the most prestigious clans in our village, the clan head, Hiashi Hyuga, his daughter Hanabi and nephew Neji." The younger members kept quiet and watched as Hiashi took a step towards the mystery girl who was frowning and recoiling every time someone tried to get close.</p>
<p>"What's your name child?" He asked quietly, sitting next to her in the couch she had been laying on. Hand reaching to the place where the girl's bandaged hand rested, she immediately pulled away and gripped the black piece of clothing closer.</p>
<p>"Hinata."</p>
<p>Now it was Hanabi's turn to gasp and come closer to the girl. Hiashi released a deep breath and for the first time in sixteen years, he smiled.</p>
<p>"Alright, Hinata, can you tell us who you are and why you were alone in the forest?" Tsunade asked, voice gentle as she approached the bluenette as well. She gestured for Neji, Naruto and Hanabi to step back and give some space.</p>
<p>The young heiress held on to her cousin, both Hyuga's eyes glazed.</p>
<p>"I-I-" Hinata felt uncomfortable with all those eyes on her. Specially, Hiashi's. "I was told to come here by a friend…" She looked down to her bandage's hands, thinking about her friend's words, realizing he was speaking the truth. "He, my friend, told me my true family lived here in Konoha and I fled my father- I mean, <em>the person who held me captive</em>, castle and came here." Hiashi flinched.</p>
<p>The person who had killed the Kumo ninjas who had kidnapped his three year old daughter, dared to call himself her <em>father</em>. For years he believed his daughter to be dead. He spent the next two years ceaselessly searching for her.</p>
<p>His wife, Hitomi, had always held onto hope her beloved child was alive, but when a disease took her life soon after Hanabi's birth, all hope Hiashi had had died with her.</p>
<p>Now, sixteen years later, being in the same room as his precious firstborn, who was almost an exact copy of her mother… he wanted to hold his daughter, take her back to the compound and protect her from every threat possible. And most importantly, <em>kill </em>the person who had brought him and his family such pain.</p>
<p>"And who might this friend be?" Tsunade inquired, feeling emotional as she watched the Hyuga clan head, who was usually was so grief stricken and painfully emotionless to everyone around him, cry and try to reach for his long lost daughter. They would still run DNA tests, but the eyes, the hair… even her skin… Tsunade and everyone else that had met Hitomi, would be able to recognize this girl as the lost heir.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry but I cannot reveal that. I made a promise to him that I wouldn't reveal his identity if what he told me turned out to be true." Hinata apologized and looked up to find the blond nin's eyes glazed and the Hyugas looking at her with a mix of sadness and longing.</p>
<p>She was trembling a little as she realized that what she had been taunted with for the last year turned out to be true. If not for him she would remain blind and continue to do the man's, who she had always considered to be her father, bidding.</p>
<p>"Who took you?" Hiashi's voice was quiet and Hinata couldn't look into the man's eyes properly. <em>If what he said is true… Then this man is my true father. </em>"Please."</p>
<p>This time she allowed the older man to touch her shoulder. It brought a strange warmth to her heart, as if her body recognized Hiashi's gentle yet steady touch.</p>
<p>"He goes by many names… I've only been allowed to refer to him as father. He kept our village's borders hidden, we were only allowed to leave when he wanted to conquer more territory or when he needed more people for his, <em>experiments."</em></p>
<p>Tsunade and everyone else in the room stilled.</p>
<p><em>One</em>, because Hinata was implying that there were more like her and could possibly be linked to other major clan's kidnappings that had happened around the same time as hers.</p>
<p>And <em>two</em>, because there was only one ninja who was known for doing experiments on other people and that could actually pull off not only Hinata's kidnapping, but other major events that could be connected.</p>
<p>"His name, dear." Tsunade pressed as Hiashi unconsciously gripped her shoulder tighter.</p>
<p>The bluenette gulped and stared directly at Naruto's eyes as she spoke.</p>
<p>"Lord Orochimaru."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked once more to be certain of what she had heard. If this girl had been under her former teammate's control, she could imagine what the snake summoner had made her go through. "Can you describe him physically?" Tsunade raised her hand to silence the other people in the room who had immediately opened their mouths to ask their own questions.</p><p>Hinata fidgeted in her seat, looking up to see that Naruto had taken a couple of steps forward, but the silver haired ninja had stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He noticed Hinata's distress and smiled encouraging to continue.</p><p>"He changes his appearance a lot. But he always has golden eyes with snake like pupils and purple markings around his eyes as well."</p><p>Hiashi dropped his hand and looked towards the blonde Hokage. "Are you able to pinpoint his location if we show you a map?" The bluenette shook her head negatively a couple of times, "The place where I was, is surrounded by special barriers that if you leave without knowing the proper seals, you'll never find it again. So even if I wanted to return I couldn't."</p><p>"If you accidently leave without knowing those seals what happens?" Hiashi asked and one could sense the man's anger within his tone. Hinata turned to look at her biological father and answered, "Father usually sends a special unit to retrieve us. And he <em>sent</em> one after me, but I masked my chakra and covered my tracks and managed to get to a small town after two days on foot. It took me another four to get here but somehow, they found me, and I fought them until I felt the presence of other ninja's around. That's probably when you found me."</p><p>Naruto and Kakashi nodded, the blond taking another step closer. "Have you met someone named Sasuke?" The blond ninja was certain she had to know his former teammate, after all Sasuke had deserted many years ago to train under the snake sannin's tutelage.</p><p>Hinata went silent for a moment, as did everyone else, thinking about what he had asked.</p><p>She was incredibly tired and wanted nothing more that take a hot shower and sleep off her exhaustion. But she also knew these people would have many, many questions for her and she wouldn't be able to rest anytime soon. And she understood them perfectly, after all, if it was proven that she was indeed the Hyuga's lost heir, it was only reasonable.</p><p>If she were in the Hokage's shoes she would interrogate the mysterious newcomer as well.</p><p>Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she continued, "Yes. But we never saw much of each other. Father usually kept us separated from him. That guy only came around to spar with us every few months but other than that we never had much contact."</p><p>Naruto could sense that she was telling the truth, so he gave her a small smile, muttering a quick thank you before crossing his arms.</p><p>His previous theory that Sasuke might have been the one to tell Hinata about her true heritage had gone down the drain, but it still hurt to know that Sasuke had had the opportunity to tell the bluenette the truth and never did.</p><p>"He did try to <em>kill</em> father several times, but me and my siblings saved him every time. The last time he tried we left him in a pretty bad shape. He was still in the infirmary when I left."</p><p>Kakashi nodded towards Tsunade and left the room to retrieve another file that contained information about all the other children that had been taken around the same time Hinata had been.</p><p>Hanabi, upon hearing about Hinata's so called 'siblings' felt a pang of jealousy. She didn't understand why she felt that way, but maybe it had to do with the fact she had always wanted to have an old sister, one that had not been stolen from her. It was impossible to forge the byakugan, so it could only <em>be </em>her. And inside her heart she knew.</p><p>From the stolen photo she kept hidden in her room, of her older sister when she was a baby with their mother; Hanabi saw that the bluenette's facial features were near identical to her mother's.</p><p>The young Hyuga kept leaning against her cousin, watching as Hinata held onto Naruto's jacket and kept stealing glances at the blond ninja. She also noticed the way her father's emotions kept changing between anger to sadness. The bluenette had <em>flinched </em>when he had touched her.</p><p>Hanabi wondered if she were to hug her long lost sister, <em>will she react the same way?</em></p><p>"You mentioned his experiments. Did he ever…" Tsunade paused not wanting to say the words in front of the Hyugas. Specially Hinata's true father, whose face was beginning to turn red, a clear sign of anger as he probably thought about what Orochimaru had done to his daughter.</p><p>Neji kept staring at his long lost cousin, his heart breaking with the knowledge of who she had been living with, his mind was already forming scenarios of what had possibly happened all these years, his mouth now a thin line whilst frowning. Hanabi seemed to still be in shock, her small hands turning into fists.</p><p>She had always wondered what had happened to her older sister, but it was forbidden to talk about it inside the compound. Her father usually gave severe punishments to those who even breathed Hinata's name.</p><p>Hanabi herself had felt that rage the one time she entered what had been her sister's room. She had grown up with the ghost of Hinata around the compound, and it took a toll on her and Neji. Both Hiashi and Hizashi pushing them to be the best of the best. Although Hizashi was kinder and didn't lost his temper as much, she couldn't blame her father. He had not only lost a daughter, but his beloved wife. And sometimes she wondered if he saw her as his daughter or a <em>painful reminder</em> of what their family was and could have been.</p><p>Hinata quickly caught on to what the blonde Hokage was saying and her face showing clear signs of disgust. It was true some of Orochimaru's experiments were radical, but he had never touched them.</p><p>"No! Never!" At that everyone in the room became surprised. "Father was always nice with us. He only gave us shots from time to time to make us immune to poison. Other than that he was always kind!" Hinata became very defensive of the man she had believed to be her father. Her sight becoming blurry and she hugged the black jacket closer.</p><p>Everyone began to doubt her sanity. <em>Orochimaru wasn't the type of person one would associate with kindness. </em>Naruto chuckled, earning threatening glares from everyone except Hinata who looked quizzically at him, pale lavender meeting cerulean blue as she spoke.</p><p>"That's why it was so hard for me to believe the truth. That he was a cold blooded murderer, had stolen us and many other terrible things." She wiped the few tears that had escaped and pulled her knees to her chest, hugging her bent legs.</p><p>"And that's also why I <em>hesitated</em>, but I found one of his old diaries that held the proves and left once the initial shock passed."</p><p>Hiashi was beginning to loose his patience.</p><p>Knowing that not only had Orochimaru been involved in his daughter's disappearance, he had developed a <em>bond</em> with <em>his</em> daughter.</p><p>Every time she had called the snake her '<em>father' </em>it made him want to storm out the room and leave Konoha only to find and give Orochimaru a long painful death. His hands turned into fists and before he lost his temper, his youngest had approached them and pulled Hinata into a hug.</p><p>She had been so swift no one had noticed when Hanabi approached. Hinata felt more tears fall down her red cheeks as she felt the little girl's warm embrace. She let her legs down, allowing the little girl's body to press more against her.</p><p>Hinata didn't know what to do, she wasn't used to this kind of affection.</p><p>Hanabi's small hands were clutching the fabric of the bluenette's shirt and her head leant on the crook of Hinata's shoulder. "You're home now. You're safe. I won't let anything bad happen to you." Hanabi promised and hugged her older sister tighter, hiding her tear stained face. The brunette longed for a sisters warm embrace and had always wondered how it would feel. Now that she could finally feel Hinata's warmth, she didn't care that she might not be the true Hinata, because she knew this girl <em>had </em>to be. She just knew.</p><p>Hinata lifted her shaky arms to try to return the gesture. The little girl's words held so much certainty and honesty it made the bluenette hug her <em>sister</em>, her biological younger sister, back. She was afraid of hurting her but, as she felt Hanabi's tears wet her shirt, she patted the girl's back soothingly, hoping she was doing it right.</p><p>Naruto cleaned a lone tear that had fell on his cheek and regained his composure quickly.</p><p>He could imagine the bluenette's pain once she found out the truth about her heritage and by looking at her more carefully, sensing the shock and relief in her as well exhaustion, "Maybe we should let Hinata rest for the rest of the day and once she feels better we can ask more questions." All eyes were on him, said bluenette staring at him with surprise written all over her as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It has been a long day, I bet she's really tired."</p><p>Neji gave Naruto a thank you smile, and the blond nin was surprised to see him do that. He could count with one hand the amount of times he had seen Neji smile.</p><p>Hiashi got up and stood in front of Tsunade who agreed with Naruto. Before she could suggest taking Hinata to the hospital, the Hyuga clan head spoke. "I'll be taking <em>my </em>daughter to her <em>home</em>. Once she feels better, I'll send a messenger to inform you."</p><p>In that moment, Sakura entered the hokage's office and found Hanabi holding on to the mystery girl with Neji helping her stand, with both his hands on her shoulders and a gentle smile on his lips.</p><p>The Hyuga clan head turned to the pinkette and then ignored her, only to focus on his daughter petite form, now standing.</p><p>Frowning, Sakura walked towards her mentor and gave her a bag with pain medicine, bandages and a small kit that could be used to remove blood.</p><p>"What's going on?" She asked, looking between the Hyugas, her mentor and Naruto, who shook his head mouthing a "Stay out of this."</p><p>"Take these. Tomorrow we will meet again and discuss more about what will be done." Tsunade gave Hiashi the pain meds which he thanked for, turning to lead his family back to the Hyuga compound.</p><hr/><p>Once they left, Tsunade sagged back onto her chair, letting out a long sight. "This was the last thing I thought would happen in my last week as Hokage." Kakashi's ceremony would be happening soon, and she had hoped for a nice quiet last week on the job.</p><p>"Can someone explain?" Sakura leaned on the mahogany desk and crossed her arms to stare at both Naruto and Tsunade.</p><p>"The girl we found is Hinata Hyuga, the lost heir of the clan. Hiashi himself had no doubts about it." Naruto said as he sat on the couch where Hinata had been. She had taken his jacket with her, not that he minded, and smiled remembering the way she was holding on to it for reassurance, but his smile turned into a frown. "Orochimaru convinced her <em>he </em>was her true father and did Kami knows what with her. She denies that he experimented on her but knowing that piece of shit he might have done other things." Naruto's mind went back to what she had told them, although she hadn't lied once and had been honest all throughout the conversation, he could see the confused expression in her as she talked about whether or not he had done anything to her.</p><p>Oddly enough, when she defended the snake Sannin, he could sense affection when she talked about her so called father.</p><p>"Oro-Orochimaru?" Sakura stammered, hands covering her mouth in disbelief. "But th-that means-" As soon as she heard that name, she could only focus on one thing. <em>Sasuke.</em></p><p>"Yes, she has seen Sasuke, but doesn't quite <em>know </em>him properly." Tsunade interrupted her pupil's train of thoughts whilst rubbing her temples. She could already feel a headache forming. "But from what she told us; she can't lead us back to where the base is."</p><p>"Bullshit! What if she's a spy?!" Sakura yelled out in anger, fists raising. "This could be a trick. Maybe Orochimaru stole a pair of Byakugan and put them in that girl only to make it more believable."</p><p>"Sakura, she's telling the truth. I would <em>know </em>if <em>she</em> was lying." He emphasized the word, remembering a time where the pinkette had '<em>confessed' </em>her feelings to him. Sakura understood and took the stab quietly, cheeks burning in embarrassment.</p><p>"And only main branch members could have their eyes successfully stolen. We haven't had any reports of Hyuga's loosing their eyes." Tsunade finished but understood why Sakura was so quick to doubt the bluenette.</p><p>She then turned towards Naruto. "Keep an eye on the girl. Hiashi won't like if I send any ANBU to spy on his daughter. Since she seemed to take a like on you, keep an eye out and inform me and Kakashi if you find anything out of place."</p><p>Naruto snapped his head up. "She took a liking on me?"</p><p>"I saw it in her eyes and also the way she held onto your coat. She'll most likely associate you to someone she can trust, so do your best to get close to her and find out more."</p><p>"Okay I guess."</p><p>Naruto wasn't too happy to fool the girl. He didn't want to approach Hinata and use her. He would like to become a friend of hers on normal conditions and not because he was told to due to a mission. But he nodded anyways.</p><hr/><p>Minutes later Kakashi came in and opened the file with pictures of other possible children that might have been taken by Orochimaru as well.</p><p>"Tomorrow we'll present this to Hinata and see if she can identify her <em>siblings</em>. In the meantime we need to try and keep this a secret for a while. When you become Hokage, Kakashi, we'll make a small announcement as well. But for now lets keep this quiet." Tsunade explained as she opened a bottle of sake.</p><p>"Okay but what about the white hair and that strange armor on her body?" Sakura questioned, still not trusting the so called Hinata Hyuga.</p><p>"That's something we'll be investigating and see if she'll open up about it tomorrow. We might not need to resort to force. She cooperated nicely today so I imagine tomorrow will be the same."</p><p>The three ninja's nodded, Sakura and Kakashi discussing the details about the scroll retrieving mission as Naruto left the office to begin his watch.</p><hr/><p>When they arrived at the Hyuga compound, Hinata felt slightly dislocated. The very few people she had encountered on the long corridors and halls had all been staring and whispering to one another. The house felt cold and uninviting, but she figured that sixteen years of not knowing what had happened to the heiress, could sour any family's mood.</p><p>She also took notice that some people had their foreheads bandaged whilst others didn't. That made her question as to why, and Hanabi quickly explained that the Hyuga clan was divided in main and branch family and that the branch's all had a seal on their foreheads that not only gave the main family control over them, but in case someone tried to steal the Byakugan they'd be unable to, protecting their secrets.</p><p>Hinata had found that to be barbaric and once she expressed her discontent, Neji smiled even further and patted her on the back, advising her not to voice such thoughts around other main family members.</p><p>Then, her biological father took her to what used to be her room before she was taken, and she had been lost for words.</p><p>Both Neji and Hanabi left, Neji to grab some food and Hanabi to make arrangements for her sister to stay with her in the room closest to hers. Hanabi had her mind set on being near her sister as much as she could, not only to show her who her true family was, but to get to know and grow closer to the bluenette.</p><p>Once they were alone, Hinata stood in the middle of the room, looking at what would have been her childhood room.</p><p>It wasn't much different from what she had grown up in, but she felt a wave of nostalgia hit her once she picked up one of the stuffed animals on top of the small bed and felt how soft the blankets on top of it were.</p><p>Hiashi coughed to garner her attention, his eyes crinkling with sadness as he spoke. "You used to love having all your plushies sleeping with you and if one of them went missing you refused to go to bed." He took small steps towards her, watching as she sat on the bed and smiled sadly.</p><p>"It's strange. Cause when I look around and see all these things, the toys, the cloud wallpaper, those paintings…" She cleaned the tears that threatened to spill with the sleeve of the black jacket she was now wearing and took another glance around. She couldn't explain it, but deep down she remembered small things about this place.</p><p>The wallpaper was lavender with fluffy white clouds here and there. The dresser had a couple of frames on top with pictures of when she was a baby and more plushies and dolls. On the wood floors there was a big beige carpet that she could tell was not only very expensive but probably very smooth too. The bookshelf near the bed was filled with books she strangely recognized. But what strook her the hardest was the picture on top on the white nightstand.</p><p>Hiashi watched in silence, as she picked it up and inspected the photo. It was a picture of when she was two years old; she wore a baby blue ruffly dress, navy blue hair in pigtails and she had a huge grin on her face as she held on to her mother, who kissed the top of her head as her father hugged them both, having a near identical grin as she had on.</p><p>"That was your mother. Hitomi."</p><p>
  <em>Was.</em>
</p><p>Which meant she was no longer alive. Hinata sniffed a bit a put back the picture frame. She now saw the similarities she not only had with the man who now sat next to her, but the woman who had been holding her in the photo.</p><p>"She passed way shortly after Hanabi was born." Hiashi lifted his hand, afraid she would reject his touch, or flinch as he grabbed one of her hands. "She loved you very much and never lost hope that you were alive and well, and that you would one day return to us." Hinata returned the small squeezed he'd given her hand and let her head fall against his chest.</p><p>"I'm sorry." She whispered, closing her eyes trying to prevent the tears from falling. All the pain her family had gone through, pain that could have been avoided and diminished, if she hadn't been so blind and had left once, she had learnt the truth.</p><p>He stilled, holding her tightly. "You have nothing to apologize for! None of it is your fault Hinata. And as I came to realize over the years, neither is mine. The man who took you wanted to steal our kekkei genkai and, as much hate I have towards Orochimaru for keeping you away from us and raising you as <em>his</em>, I have to be thankful that he saved you." Hiashi felt a lump on his throat as he said this, but he couldn't deny it.</p><p>He still hadn't the full picture of how Hinata had grown up these years, but he was thankful she was alive and well.</p><p>He mentally kicked himself, Hinata had no reason to be apologizing over something she had had no control over.</p><p>Hinata stayed silent, wiping her tears, and moving her hand to hold onto her <em>true father</em>. Hiashi saw his tears fall down onto his robes, some even falling on Hinata's hair, as he held on to his sniffling daughter.</p><hr/><p>They remained sitting there, hugging each other whilst crying and talking for a long time. Naruto smiled as he watched from the tree branch he was perched on, through the windows, as Hinata was then led to another room, maybe two or three doors down and saw as Hanabi and her father took care of her. Neji had brought a tray with food, which the bluenette had thanked and devoured.</p><p>Hanabi remained inside the room, exchanging a few words with her long lost sister and showed her were the bathroom and closet were. Hinata had patted the little girl's head and went inside the bathroom.</p><p>As the time went by and night fell, he felt his lips tug upwards as he found that the bluenette still wore his jacket over her pajama's and climbed on bed and entered sleep peacefully.</p><p>Naruto then decided to leave and, tomorrow, he would try to see if she could reveal more about Sasuke and what he's been up to.</p><p>Right now, she was their only chance of finding and bringing him back home and he would do everything he could to make sure he found him and knocked some sense into him <em>and </em>beat him some more for keeping Hinata's true heritage from her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As hot droplets of water fell down her back, Hinata kept replaying the events of the last five days. With the amount of information she had gained not only about Orochimaru but also her siblings, she felt her heart clench.</p>
<p>The day after that first meeting, although she had had a surprisingly good night of sleep, the guilt she felt had begun to take a toll. From the files that the Hokage had brought along, she had identified all of the children she had grown up with, in total there were five of them, including herself.</p>
<p>It only raised more questions as to why they had been chosen, after all, Hinata was the only one with a kekkei genkai and the theories they had developed had gone down the drain. Kakashi was the first to point it out. The soon to be Hokage had asked Hinata if she had any clue as to why the man who had raised her as her father had chosen them particularly.</p>
<p><em>She</em> <em>lied</em>.</p>
<p>Or omitted information, as Karui would often tease her.</p>
<p>
  <em>Karui…</em>
</p>
<p>Her hot headed 'sister', who was still living with their 'father'.</p>
<p>Hinata lifted her hands and gripped her head, pulling the long navy blue tresses tightly. She now knew exactly why he had kidnapped all of them. Orochimaru had turned them all into dangerous weapons, but he had always kept them waiting, <em>waiting</em> for something Hinata knew nothing about.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>*FLASHBACK ON*</strong>
</p>
<p>"<em>Father why do the fireflies keep dying?" A six year old Hinata asked with a frown as she shook the jar where she had kept the glowing insects. "It's the third time already! Aki said he won't catch more for me cause they keep dying!" Her small hands shook the jar in front of her father's face who was watching her intently from his desk.</em></p>
<p>"<em>Well, for starters you didn't let them breathe," picking her up and sitting her on his lap, Orochimaru stroked her hair whilst she puffed her cheeks, annoyed that one of the presents her brother had given her was now ruined. She crossed her arms and stared at the jar, hoping her gaze would make them magically come to life. "and you shouldn't trap fireflies inside jars, little one."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Why?" Pale lavender eyes met yellow ones. He let out a small laugh, closing some of the journals he had been writing on.</em></p>
<p>"<em>They're not meant to be, and you should let them live in freedom. Their parents might worry."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Hinata's frown turned into a pout and she became sad. She hated when her father had to leave their home to go on missions, and when she and her brothers were out for too long, she knew he got worried as well.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Can I keep the sky sparkles in a jar, then?" She asked, hopeful her father would say yes. She could gift it to her brother for all the trouble he had getting her the fireflies.</em></p>
<p>"<em>Lightning in a bottle? Hm, that's definitely interesting. But I'm afraid not, little one." Hinata giggled as her father tickled her and she shook her head from side. "Then what can I do for Aki to forgive me?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>I'm certain that if you ask, Akihiko-kun would be happy to go get flowers with you. After all it has been a while since you have made him that flower crown he proudly wore around the castle for weeks."</em></p>
<p>"<em>I'll go get him!" Hinata quickly ran off to the door, leaving the jar with the five dead fireflies on top of her father's desk. "Oh, and Hina-chan?" She turned to her father, who had a smile on his face. "Take Kabuto-kun with you two. It's not safe for you two to be running around in the fields alone."</em></p>
<p><em>The small hand that had been reaching the doorknob moved to her mouth, covering it as she then remembered. "The </em>bad ninja<em> are still around?"</em></p>
<p><em>Her father turned to stare out the window, revealing the cloudy weather. A slight frown took his features, but it disappeared as fast as it had come. "Yes my child. </em>Bad ninja<em> are </em>always<em> lurking around. Be careful."</em></p>
<p>
  <strong>*FLASHBACK OFF*</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p><em>Bad ninja…</em> The only bad ninja had been the ones that raised her.</p>
<p>After talking to her biological family, she quickly understood that most of the things that she had done were <em>cruel</em>, but if the Hokage found out, she would be probably be thrown in jail.</p>
<p>She lost count of how many people she and her siblings had killed, believing them to be willing to do so, when in fact they were only experiments Orochimaru wanted to use to test their powers and how far they'd come with their training.</p>
<p>She felt sick. She had never had a lot of nightmares, but now they seemed to plague her even when she wasn't asleep. Her mind kept replaying some of the most traumatic moments and she felt like crashing her head against the wall.</p>
<p>Breathing became more difficult as the sobs erupted from her throat and she instinctively hugged her body, curling into a tight ball inside the shower, hoping the water would somehow wash her sins away.</p>
<p>Whenever Hiashi or Hanabi touched her, pulling her into a hug or merely holding her hand, she wanted to throw up. She felt disgusted. Not because they were touching her. But because she was touching <em>them. </em>Corrupting Hanabi's innocent soul. Every time the little girl grinned at her or grabbed her hand to show her some of her favorite places inside the house, it took all of Hinata's self-control not to crumple down and vomit.</p>
<p>So she put up a happy smile and gave the Hyugas the perfect illusion of the perfect newfound heiress.</p>
<p>She wanted to get to know her family, she wanted to befriend them and regain what she had lost, but the guilt of her tainted past weighed down on her and left her on limbo. One part of her told her to go for it, that she could do it, was strong enough to overcome it. But her dark side pulled her back and reminded her that she would never be good enough and she was too lost and would never be forgiven. And that dark side kept telling her to leave these people alone and jump back into the abyss.</p>
<p>But when she saw Hiashi's hopeful face, Hanabi's cheerful persona and delighted grins, Neji's small smiles and remembered her uncle's encouraging words… The light overcame the darkness and she pushed herself to make the illusion real and leave her past behind.</p>
<p>Lowering one of her hands, she molded her chakra until small lightning sparks ran along her fingers. <em>Lightening. </em>One could not keep it contained, but Orochimaru had done it that her entire life.</p>
<p>He may have robbed her past, but she wouldn't let him do the same with her future.</p>
<p>She closed her hand in a tight fist and wiped the tears, with her free hand, that continuously fell down her face. All her resolution to go to the Hokage and tell her everything had been smothered by the guilt she felt, and the pain she would be causing her family. They were finally reunited, and she saw and heard how only five days of her being there, had already brightened the entire compound.</p>
<p>She couldn't do that to them now. She couldn't break their hearts.</p>
<p>She needed to find her salvation. Walk her path of redemption.</p>
<p>
  <em>And what better way then to start by freeing her brothers and sisters, bringing down Orochimaru?</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>As she got dressed in a pale blue kimono, she felt a familiar chakra outside. Her lips quirked up a bit. She was, after all, a sensory type ninja and she could also feel the chakra of anyone around her who could use <em>raiton.</em></p>
<p>His jacket was draped on the armrest of the green couch, sitting near the window. She had yet to return it to him since the last time they saw each other was when she had identified her siblings and talked more about her former living situation.</p>
<p>His presence seemed to calm her, and every time Hinata met his gaze, it not only made her blush lightly and stutter a bit, it also reassured that everything would be fine. He gave her hope. Ninja's like him were rare.</p>
<p>After a quick DNA and blood test, it was indeed confirmed that she was the lost Hyuga heir. And with that, some members of her family insisted that she be trained to re-take her role as the rightful heir. Others were not so keen on that idea since she had been raised by Orochimaru and still doubted as to where her loyalty lay. She had almost punched one of the Hyuga elders, were it not for Neji holding subtly her arm down.</p>
<p>Hiashi and uncle Hizashi had warned her about the elders, and she would often show her discontent using vocabulary not fit to an heiress, but her uncle's calming aura and soft words always managed to stop her from giving them the beating of their lives.</p>
<p>So, today she would be having <em>etiquette</em> classes and a few lessons on her clan's history and Konoha's as well.</p>
<p>The bluenette sighted, not really wanting to go through it, but if she wanted to get close to her family she must abide to the clan's laws, even if she found some of them to be ridiculous. The previous day, when she had been talking to her uncle Hizashi who had returned from a training session with his son, a clan elder had reprimanded her for spending her precious time talking to side branch family members.</p>
<p>She had rolled her eyes at the old hag and continued her conversation with her father's twin brother and cousin. Contrary to Hiashi, Hizashi had laugh lines on his face and was much chirpier, ruffling her hair and offering to help if she ever needed something. Neji, on the other hand, would shake his head, amused to watch her stand up for the side branch family in such way in front of the elders and would remind her constantly that she shouldn't do so.</p>
<p>All in all, she preferred to deal with the side branch family members as they were kinder and didn't treat her as a zoo animal. Hiashi and Hanabi were the exception.</p>
<p>Some were still afraid to speak to her, but seeing as she smiled and helped them with chores or offered to help the cooks, most would allow to get to know them and help, but others reprimanded her, cause she was a '<em>main branch' </em>family member.</p>
<p>Hanabi, when she wasn't training with Hiashi, kept her company and gave her tours of the compound, walking through the gardens and pointing out her favorite spots. Their cousin usually trailed behind, not saying much, but agreed to join any activity Hanabi or herself proposed.</p>
<p>Hinata felt nervous, not only were people starting to ask to some of the guards outside the Hyuga compound gates if it was indeed true that she had been found or <em>rescued</em>, but she would have to eventually leave the compound and explore the village.</p>
<p>She had grown up around a very small group of people and she wasn't used to city living. The first few days she had felt extremely anxious knowing she had so many family members and that they all lived together. It was nerve racking trying to get to know every single person inside the compound, after all she made it a priority, they were <em>family</em>.</p>
<p>But when she messed up the names or confuse one family member with another and/or used the wrong honorific to refer to an elder or a branch family member, she felt like running and hiding in her room.</p>
<p>Usually the elders were more severe and tended to explain rather harshly how she should address them but if Hiashi was around, they would become totally different people and be as sweet as honey when they spoke to her. The memory made her chuckle as she pulled her hair into a high ponytail.</p>
<p>"<em>If they keep pestering you, let me know and I'll handle it."</em> Were her biological father's words every time he caught an elder close to her. Hinata always nodded and told him not to worry about it, after all, everyone inside the Hyuga clan were still adjusting to their new reality. It was their way of coping. But man oh man were they incredibly annoying.</p>
<p>Hinata sat on her bed and closed her eyes momentarily, trying to get her body more relaxed. Of course, having Naruto's constant presence around, '<em>unknown to her'</em>, seemed to help her relax.</p>
<p>She could feel the hesitation in the blond ninja when she would take her midnight strolls through the garden to sit near a pond, deciding whether or not he should leave his hiding spot and strike a conversation with her.</p>
<p>But she was secretly glad he didn't. The bluenette couldn't explain why she felt so nervous and lost for words whenever the blond ninja would speak to her. But the last thing she wanted was to taint his bright soul with her darkness.</p>
<p>Slapping her cheeks lightly, Hinata finally got up and left the room to find her teacher.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"We still don't know why her hair was white and the reason behind those strange markings on her skin… I have my theories but Tsunade-sama wants to wait until this Hinata girl opens up about it!" Sakura ranted as she drank from her coffee. "I mean, she was raised by <em>Orochimaru</em>, I think it's quite obvious she's not as innocent as she seems to be." Shaking her head, the pinkette licked her lips and took a bite of her croissant. "Hell, you should have seen how Naruto's face lighted up once Tsunade-sama put him on surveillance, one could almost see the Kyuubi's nine tails wagging like an happy puppy, and he's doing what the Hokage asked him to do and he hasn't complain about it, <em>ONCE</em>!"</p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah, forehead." Ino rolled her eyes at her friend's rant and sipped on her tea as she read another page of her magazine. Both girls were enjoying a small break from work and were sitting outside one of the busiest coffee shops in Konoha. "Sounds like someone is <em>jealous</em>."</p>
<p>"Jealous? Me? Oh, Ino, I couldn't care less. The thing is, she is keeping things for us and it's as if no one cares about finding more about it!"</p>
<p>"Didn't you just say Tsunade ran blood tests on her and examined her from head to toe and found nothing out of place? Maybe she was using some kind of disguise when you found her. Let the poor girl be."</p>
<p>The pinkette stared at her best friend open mouthed. "You can't be serious. The gossip queen of Konoha hasn't anything more interesting to say?"</p>
<p>Clearly annoyed, Ino threw her magazine inside her purse and stared at Sakura straight in the eyes. "You're jealous for two reasons. One, Hinata has had contact with Sasuke and might have developed some sort of friendship with him, after all, growing up under Orochimaru tutelage might change some concepts and she might not know how to label relationships properly." Ino raised her hand, lifting a second finger, stopping Sakura from interrupting her.</p>
<p>"And two, Naruto hasn't been paying you as much attention as he did before Hinata appeared and now you're feeling threatened. But need I remind you he no longer looks at you in a romantic way, but considers you only as a <em>sister?"</em></p>
<p>The blonde mentally high fived herself. Her statement was true, and she felt sorry for her friend who had lost her first love (or should she say crush) and was now pinning for a teammate who wasn't remotely interested. Ino always knew Naruto only wanted Sakura's acceptance and for her look at him with the same admiration she had for Sasuke. But now that they were older, Naruto had finally realized he liked Sakura as a <em>sister.</em></p>
<p>"Ino please. You're being ridiculous." Sakura huffed, cheeks blushing as she looked the other way to avoid her best friend's knowing gaze. "Am I? Cause for the last few days you have been pestering me nonstop about this."</p>
<p>"Look, the only reason I can't shup up about it is simply because I don't trust her. And I bet there's a reason she came to Konoha <em>now</em>." Sakura leant forward a bit, lowering her tone of voice. "The chakra I felt in her body when I was healing her was different from the one, I felt once her hair turned dark. There's something seriously wrong about her, but even you, my best friend, doesn't believe me."</p>
<p>"I'm not saying I don't believe you. It's just that I haven't met her so I can't jump into conclusions. From what my father told me, she's really nice and hasn't refused a single request the Hokage has made of her. Ibiki has interrogated her already and found nothing worrisome. So please, let this go and let's just enjoy our break okay?" Ino's clear exasperated tone made Sakura slump on her seat and cross her arms.</p>
<p>No matter what everyone said, she was certain Hinata had terrible secrets buried. How she had managed to hide them from Ibiki and Ino's father was a mystery to her. But once Hinata was allowed to roam around Konoha freely, Sakura would begin her investigation.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Anything new to report?" Kakashi asked as he and Tsunade signed a few papers. In two days he would become the sixth Hokage, and not only were the preparations time consuming, Hinata Hyuga's recent arrival had swept the rug from under their feet. They had their hands full.</p>
<p>So it was decided to give the girl time to open up, having Ibiki talk to her to discover how Orochimaru had been operating and what he had been up to these years. She had provided valuable information and was able to pinpoint some old hideouts where they found significant evidence.</p>
<p>Inoichi had also had a session with her and had found a few parts of her mind that were blocked and once he unlocked them, he was able to confirm Hinata's previous statements, he found nothing suspicious and reported that to Tsunade and Kakashi.</p>
<p>Overall, the girl had been honest and proved to be a valuable asset. Inoichi also shared that she was a very talented ninja and used primarily water and lightening elements. Kakashi and Tsunade told Hiashi about everything and left the decision about making Hinata an official Konoha nin to Hinata herself and her father.</p>
<p>The bluenette had said that she never had much interest in being a ninja but would think about it. Hiashi had been surprised once he found out she could indeed use the Byakugan perfectly and had developed her own taijustu fighting style, per Inoichi's report.</p>
<p>"No, she is still adapting to her new life and seems to be making an effort to fit within her clan. The elders are not pleased of her spending more time with branch members than main family ones. Hiashi usually reprimands anyone that complains about Hinata's behavior and has been spending more time with both his daughters." Naruto said as he stood in front of Tsunade and Kakashi.</p>
<p>"Nothing strange about her movements?" Tsunade asked as she read a few mission's reports that had to do with the search for Orochimaru's lair. "Sakura has a theory that Hinata might be hiding something dark within her."</p>
<p>"Well, around midnight she takes a stroll through the gardens, meditates a bit and then goes back to her room. If you ask me, she's clean, but it's too soon to tell if she is or isn't hiding something." The blond said as he delivered a few pictures to them. "I say we wait a couple of months, let her bond with her family and make a few friends. Who knows, maybe she'll open up more about herself. We've had no problems so far."</p>
<p>Both Kakashi and Tsunade were surprised with Naruto's words. They had thought he'd be the first to demand more information and pester the girl with questions about Sasuke's whereabouts. <em>But he hadn't.</em></p>
<p>"I agree with Naruto. Let us wait. I bet Orochimaru knows or suspects by now where she is and sooner or later, he'll either try to take her back or make some sort of contact. We have to be on high alert."</p>
<p>Both Tsunade and Naruto nodded, agreeing with what Kakashi had said. "Great work <em>Gaki</em>, now go back to your post." Tsunade touched Naruto's shoulder and smiled affectionately.</p>
<p>Naruto bowed and left with a content smile on his face.</p>
<p>Both Tsunade and Kakashi exchanged looks. This was the first mission he hadn't whined about and seemed pleased to continue to do it alone.</p>
<p>"So, should we contact Suna and let Gaara know that we have news about his missing sister whereabouts?"</p>
<hr/>
<p>As Naruto walked through the streets of Konoha, heading towards his favorite restaurant to have lunch, he spotted Hinata, Neji and Hanabi walking through the streets of Konoha.</p>
<p>It was a little bit late for him to have lunch, but he had been busy with his reports and could only have his meal at four in the afternoon. Sure he could have sent a clone to grab lunch for him, but he wanted to have a quiet meal and if he had had sent the clone, his <em>fangirls</em> would be pestering him and would have ended up popping the clone off.</p>
<p>"Nee-chan, see this place has the <em>best </em>cinnamon buns." The little girl held onto Hinata's right hand and showed her the food district. Hinata nodded her head, a smile playing on her lips as she munched on said cinnamon bun with her free hand. Neji walked on Hinata's other side and was holding a few bags, and again, much to Naruto's surprise, he was smiling as well.</p>
<p>"Oh look! It's Naruto-kun! Hi!" Hanabi waved happily at him and Naruto returned the gesture, meeting them in front of Ichiraku's. The blond took notice of Hinata's slightly pink cheeks and chuckled.</p>
<p>"What are you guys doing out here?" He questioned. Even though there weren't many people walking around at this hour, there were still some villagers that were looking at Hinata with curiosity.</p>
<p>"Nee-chan told me she loves cinnamon buns and I asked father to go get some and he allowed us all to come!" The blond tilted his head, looking at Hinata curiously. Hinata's left hand covered her mouth as she coughed a bit, and she began cracking her fingers one by one. A clear nervous tick.</p>
<p>"We're already heading home. We don't intend to stay out here for much longer." Neji explained as he angled himself in front of Hinata so that the villagers that had been staring would focus on something else. "What about you?"</p>
<p>"Lunch." The blond ninja pointed towards his favorite restaurant and that got Hinata's attention.</p>
<p>"But it's past the time." The bluenette spoke and looked at the restaurant quizzically. "What do they serve here?"</p>
<p>"The best food there has ever been crated. <em>Ramen.</em>" Naruto happily pointed to the sign and gave Hinata one of his trademark grins.</p>
<p>"What's ramen?" She asked looking at Hanabi and Neji for answers.</p>
<p>Everyone's eyes widened. Naruto was lost for words for a moment before a smirk found its way to his lips and he snickered. Hanabi and Neji shared a pained look.</p>
<p><em>"Oh no, here we go."</em> Hanabi let go of her sister's hand to cover her face in exasperation. Neji closed his eyes and muttered <em>"Why me?"</em></p>
<p>Naruto put his arm around Hinata's shoulders and pulled her under the flaps. "If you thought cinnamon buns were good, wait till you try Teuchi and Ayame's ramen. The best dish you'll ever eat in your life." Hinata's cheeks reddened, seeing and <em>feeling </em>how close she was to Naruto's warm body.</p>
<p>Outside Hanabi and Neji groaned before entering Naruto's favorite restaurant, hoping to save Hinata before it was too late and the blond nin converted her into an all ramen diet.</p>
<hr/>
<p>*<strong>ELSEWHERE*</strong></p>
<p>"<em>It has almost been two weeks and still no sign of her."</em></p>
<p>"<em>We combed through the entire area but it's safe to say she's probably in Konoha by now."</em></p>
<p><em>A hand slammed against the wall, breaking through it. "You have </em>three<em> weeks. If she's not here by then, consider yourselves dead." Orochimaru threatened. Walking towards the door, finding Kabuto waiting for him outside. "How's Sasuke-kun?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Hina-chan left him in a pretty bad shape, I'd say two more weeks, and another one until he can use raiton again." The silver haired medical nin explained as he adjusted his glasses. "Are you sure Sasuke's team will be able to retrieve her?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>The longer she stays there, the longer Tsunade and her minions will put ideas in her head. Hina-chan is too soft. Powerful but soft. Let's just hope the seals I put on her mind when she was small work to our advantage, and she finds her own way back to us."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Sending Sasuke alone or one of the other fury would be wiser."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Temari-chan and Akihiko-kun are already restless, Karui-chan has been having a hard time keeping them inside the castle." Orochimaru explained and stopped walking. "Once Sasuke-kun is better I'll send him as well. After all they have unfinished business."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Kabuto gave his master a knowing smile, "I wonder how he'll react once he finds out she's in Konoha, with Naruto-kun."</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>It's the perfect punishment. I just hope the other children use this situation to get the rest of the marks. Hinata is the only one with the seven markings and we can't let Konoha find out about them."</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone! This chapter just came so easily that I had to cut it a few parts to put in the next one, otherwise it would be long af.</p>
<p>Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed it! Tell me about all your theories about who told Hinata the truth, about her marks…</p>
<p>I'll tell you this, no it wasn't Sasuke, and you'll know why he kept his mouth shut in later chapters…</p>
<p>In the meantime, if you also read Echoes of Silence, I'm kinda excited about this next chapter! I waited to post it cause it's about Naruto's birthday *wink* *wink* and cause Naruto's b day is today! (I wanted to post TLH chapter a little earlier but its already past midnight so yeah…)</p>
<p>HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE NUMBER ONE UNPREDICTABLE NINJA, THE NANADAIME, UZUMAKI NARUTO!</p>
<p>See you next time!</p>
<p>Ella</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*<strong>ELSEWHERE*</strong></p>
<p>"Nothing here either." The blonde said as she flipped through the pages of her sister's immaculate diary.</p>
<p>"She wouldn't just <em>leave</em>. Something happened. I know it." Sitting on the bluenette's bed, Akihiko, who considered himself the closest to Hinata of them all, held onto a picture of him and Hinata when they were children, happily running through a field of wildflowers.</p>
<p>Ignoring Temari's question, he made a list of all the reasons Hinata had, to run away, but none made any sense.</p>
<p>As far as they knew she was happy. Never showed signs of the contrary. But roughly a year ago something changed, but then again, who wouldn't.</p>
<p>When one stares in the face of death, it always changes the person<em>. But why would she wait this long if it had had anything to do with what happened?</em></p>
<p>"I've read this over and over and found nothing." She glanced up and found that her brother was still ignoring her. "If you're going to be an ass and mope around all day instead of helping, excuse me while I go search for my baby sis." Temari waved a hand around Hinata's tidy bedroom. "She's clever. She would leave a clue somewhere, Hina had her reasons and for her not to leave at least a letter..." The blonde sighted and placed the diary back in its place and closed the curtains of Hinata's room.</p>
<p>"We can't even leave this godforsaken place now. Father has changed the seals, <em>again. </em>And not even Kabuto-nii knows them." Throwing the picture frame back onto the bed, the brunette got up to his feet and walked towards where Temari stood waiting. "Do you have any ideas?"</p>
<p>"Well, I can never think properly with an empty stomach. How about we go have lunch, that Karui prepared and then see if she has any ideas?" Temari offered, placing a hand on her brother's shoulder, trying to smile reassuringly.</p>
<p>"Wait," Snapping out of his foul mood, Akihiko leaned towards Temari, a frightened look on his face. "You're telling me Karui is cooking?"</p>
<p>"Don't make that face or she'll kick your sorry ass." Dismissing her brother's panicked reaction she kept on walking down the hall, heading to the dining room, with a playful smirk on her pink lips.</p>
<p>"But- Temari please tell me you're joking; I can't eat bird food again." Akihiko heard Temari laugh and cursed both his older sisters.</p>
<p>Karui, cause she was crazy about her diets and only cooked weird, tasteless food, and Temari, cause she was one of the few people, possibly in the whole world to actually enjoy the redhead's cooking and loved to taunt him with it.</p>
<p>"Hinata where the <em>fuck</em>, are you?" He whined, missing his pale eyed sister now more than ever.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"How was training?" Temari asked Omoi, who was currently sulking with an IV drip attached to his arm.</p>
<p>"I'm getting closer to unlocking the fifth, but what's the point? We're all gonna die someday… I don't get why father is pushing us to get all seven of them." Omoi placed his head on his hands, elbows leaning on the table as he eyed Karui's food suspiciously. His index finger pushed the plate away and Karui's eye twitched.</p>
<p>She hated whenever her brothers complained about her cooking. She was doing them a favor and they still did not appreciate her effort.</p>
<p>"Oh shut it. Just eat your <em>damn</em> <em>food</em>." Karui's golden eyes stared him down as she pushed the plate in front of him. "You're the only one stuck on fourth. Stop complaining and work harder."</p>
<p>Sitting next to her sister Temari, the redhead eyed Hinata's empty spot in the round wood table, in between Omoi and Aki, and asked if there had been any developments.</p>
<p>"Father sent team Taka after her, but after they failed that first time, I doubt they'll manage to get her back. At least not without help." Temari answered while she picked on her food with a fork.</p>
<p>Frowning in thought, Akihiko sipped from his drink and then looked at Karui straight in the eye. "I say we go after her. <em>You</em> can track her down better than those three morons." Omoi grunted his agreement and before he could push the plate away again, Karui shoved a spoonful in his mouth.</p>
<p>Temari's eyes closed, a sign she was getting irritated. Ever since Hinata had disappeared, both Akihiko and Omoi wanted to go out and find her themselves. It wasn't as if she didn't want to the same, but father had asked them to remain where they were and focus on their training while he took care of it.</p>
<p>She trusted his decisions and had no doubts team Taka would soon find her baby sister.</p>
<p>Of course she would prefer it if that Sasuke idiot tagged along, but since his last fight with Hinata, Kabuto was still working on opening his closed tenketsus and removing the block she had put on his powers. <em>After all, what can he do if he can't use his precious Chidori and shit?</em></p>
<p>Temari hit her hands hard on the table, rattling the glasses, making Omoi spill his drink all over the table. "That's enough! Father-"</p>
<p>"Father this, father that. But why can't <em>he</em> go after Hinata himself huh?" Omoi asked whilst glaring at Temari who had made him spill the only thing that was saving his tastebuds. Karui rolled her eyes and used a few napkins to help him clean.</p>
<p>"Yeah! What's stopping him?" Akihiko stared Temari down, his first two marks showing through his white shirt. The red swirls quickly became black, his eyes beginning to show the signs of the third one approaching.</p>
<p>Temari repressed the urge of yelling back, knowing that it would only lead to a fight she would lose. Both her and Akihiko had six of the seven marks, so if they went head to head, her element, being <em>Wind</em>, would lose to his <em>Fire.</em></p>
<p>"There are people that want him dead, and he's still weak. Once he regains his strength, I know that he'll go out to find her, but until then we have to trust Karin, Suigetsu and Juugo. Kabuto-nii said that in a matter of weeks he'd be back to his old self."</p>
<p>"Excuses and more excuses. If he really <em>cared</em>, he'd send <em>us</em>! <em>We don't have weeks!</em>" Before he could hp on with his rant, Karui interjected, tossing one of the wet napkins right on his face.</p>
<p>"Oi! Did you forget Madara is out there looking for us? Having Hinata out there alone is already dangerous as it is, but if that bastard gets his hands on <em>all of us</em>, the world is doomed. It's already bad enough that he's after the bijuu, so we have to <em>stay</em> <em>hidden</em>. It's the only way we and everyone else can stay safe!" Karui slammed her fists on the table, making Temari and Akihiko turn their focus on her and Omoi spill his food all over himself. "I'm tired of hearing both of you argue day and night! Hinata will be found, safe and sound, and we'll go back to living our lives <em>in</em> <em>peace</em>." She looked between Temari, who had her arms crossed, and Akihiko who had stood up.</p>
<p>His deep blue eyes found her gold ones, and Karui could sense how distressed he was. "You do whatever you want. But as soon as Sasudouche is up, I'm going after <em>my sister.</em> Go ahead and let father and kabuto know. I couldn't care less. But you're not gonna stop me." With that, he left, slamming the door shut on his way out.</p>
<p>Temari quickly got up, meaning to go after him but Omoi grabbed her arm. "Don't. He needs to get his ideas straight. Going after him now would only lead to a battle that would possibly kill you." Both Temari and Karui rolled their eyes at his exaggeration. "Hina-chan and him were very close. And he was supposed to watch after her that night remember?"</p>
<p>Temari sat back in her chair, feeling slightly guilty. "It's not his fault." She said quietly. Karui silently agreed with her whilst helping Omoi clean up the mess. <em>Again.</em></p>
<p>"<em>No one</em> blames him." Omoi responded, trying to pick the food from his clothes. "He just needs space. Otherwise he'll probably burn down this place and we'll be like Karui's weird burnt bacon."</p>
<hr/>
<p>*<strong>KONOHA*</strong></p>
<p>"Let's go nee-chan! Father is waiting!" After they ate, Naruto had offered to pay but Neji had politely declined and payed for their share of the meal; the four of them were now standing outside Ichiraku's, with Hanabi pulling Hinata's hand. Feeling slightly full, Hinata swayed a bit, instantly regretting eating two cinnamon buns and three bowls of ramen.</p>
<p>"Hanabi-chan don't pull Hinata-sama's hand like that." Neji grasped the little girl's hand from the bluenette's arm and apologized to Hinata, dragging his younger cousin away, before she could complain about the honorific.</p>
<p>"What's got her all worked up?" Naruto asked, watching as Hanabi and Neji silently argued about something, whilst smiling, his arms crossed behind his head and walking leisurely with Hinata.</p>
<p>"She's training with Hiashi and wants me to watch. Usually the elders have me take my etiquette classes around this time of day but today Hiashi let me have the afternoon off." She rubbed her stomach a bit, making a mental note to never eat as much as she had. But the ramen was <em>really good, </em>so she understood why, <em>apparently</em>, Naruto always ate there.</p>
<p>Hinata shook her head giggling, amused by the little girl's antics as she kicked Neji's shin and ran off, prompting her cousin to turn around and apologize once more before going after Hanabi. <em>She and Temari would get along really well, </em>she thought as Hanabi constantly reminded her of the hot-tempered blonde, an the scene reminded her of Temari's fights with Omoi.</p>
<p>Both of them laughed and Hinata bit her lip, deciding whether or not if she should ask Naruto how close he is to Hanabi, due to the '<em>kun' </em>she added to his name.</p>
<p>After a few moments, she ended up asking him and he rubbed the back of his neck, his cerulean blue eyes following Neji and Hanabi's movements.</p>
<p>"Well, you see, she's friends with Konohamaru, my '<em>rival'</em> and she occasionally hangs out with us when I'm training him. She has a temper, I'll tell you that, but she's really sweet." They watched Hanabi run in circles near the park before she went straight to the dango shop.</p>
<p>"She reminds me of Temari, actually." Hearing that and noticing her sad expression, he placed his hand on her forearm, stopping her.</p>
<p>A letter had been sent out to the Kazekage, telling him his older sister was alive. Hinata feared his reaction, she knew that he had had a tailed beast sealed in him and that when he got mad, it could rival with his younger self' murderous tendencies.</p>
<p>But she was happy to know that Temari also had someone who loved her very much, waiting for her in Suna.</p>
<p>"You miss them, don't you?" Her pale lavender eyes closed for a brief moment before nodding.</p>
<p>"I miss everything, actually. Sometimes I wonder if I should have stayed instead. But then I feel guilty because, now that I know what my biological family went through all these years and how happy they are now that I'm back..." Hinata lowered her head, hugging her sides as Naruto retracted his hand, sensing the conflict within her.</p>
<p>"You shouldn't feel guilty. It's only normal for you to feel that way. Like it or not, for sixteen years they were your family. And now you feel like you 'abandoned' them."</p>
<p>"Yes, but," Hinata sighted with relief, <em>finally some gets it. </em>"I can't talk to any of them about this cause every time I mention my brothers and sisters, or even my father, they get defensive. I miss them all terribly, more than I should, but at the same time I don't want to leave <em>them </em>either." Hinata pointed towards Hanabi and Neji, who now sat in a bench next to a dango stand. "I know I should hate Orochimaru for what he's done, not only to me and the Hyuga's, but to Konoha and all the innocent people that have suffered from his actions. But I <em>can't</em>. I try to… but I wouldn't call what I feel towards him <em>hate. </em>It's more like-" She couldn't finish her sentence; cause she didn't know what to call it.</p>
<p>"Disappointment. Frustration." Naruto answered, understanding once again what she felt. "I get that."</p>
<p>"I just wished things were easier and I regret not telling the others the truth before I left… But I needed to make sure it was true." She had thought about leaving a letter, but then <em>it all happened</em>, and she took the chance to see if it was indeed true that Orochimaru had kidnapped her and that her true family resided in Konoha.</p>
<p>If it had been a lie, Hinata wouldn't have any problems leaving the village and finding the team that her <em>father </em>would eventually send after her.</p>
<p>"Hm." Naruto and Hinata sat on a bench that faced a small park, flanked by an ice cream shop and a to-go store. "I have a friend who I, after all the shit he has pulled, still consider him as a brother. Only Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei and I believe that we can still help Sasuke, that he's still <em>redeemable</em>."</p>
<p>Hearing the avenger's name made Hinata still momentarily and turn her head to meet Naruto's hopeful gaze. "Deserting Konoha, abandoning his friends to pursue a vendetta against his brother, which in a way was justified, he didn't know the truth back then, no one knew; being trained by one of the people that had sworn to destroy the place he'd grown up in and everything and everyone he knows resides. Then joining a terrorist organization which its main focus is to capture the bijuu; trying to kidnap the Raikage's brother and then make an assassination attempt on said Raikage… I mean, I could go all day, but you get the point." Hinata smiled sadly at him, her hands playing with the handle of the bag she was holding, and Naruto returned it with a laugh and a shrug.</p>
<p>"I lost count on how many times he's tried to kill me, but I don't hate him. I'm disappointed and hurt, but he's still my friend. So don't beat yourself for missing Orochimaru and your other family. Like it or not, they're still your family and always will be."</p>
<p>"You really believe that your friend can change?" Hinata asked curious since she knew Sasuke would <em>never </em>change. "That you can help him see reason?" She had always believed he had no one. But Naruto proved her otherwise. His words were too genuine for it to be a lie.</p>
<p>"I made a promise once. And I intend to keep it. I'll do everything I can to bring him back to us." Facing forward, Naruto began thinking about all the good moments they had spent together, all the shit they had pulled, the fights, pranks… "It's not if I can change him. It's about making him see that revenge will lead him nowhere. It would only lead to an unbreakable cicle of death-"</p>
<p>"Now that's poetic of you!" A new voice startled both Naruto and Hinata. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? Trying to charm this one with your famous talk no jutsu?" The brown haired guy stood in front of them, his big white dog flanking him, his tail wagging as he sniffed Hinata.</p>
<p>"Shut it dog breath." Naruto quickly stood in front of Hinata, concealing her from Kiba's view. "Don't you have shit to do?"</p>
<p>"<em>Don't you?</em> If you're allowed to spend time with gorgeous women, so can I!" Kiba pushed Naruto to the side as if he were a curtain, sitting next to the bluenette who now held the blue bag to her chest.</p>
<p>"Oi! Get lost!" Ignoring Naruto completely, Kiba signaled Akamaru who began pestering Naruto for attention.</p>
<p>"Hello there, gorgeous. I'm Kiba Inuzuka, the best looking ninja here in Konoha. And most talented as well." He put his left arm around her shoulders, his face closing in on hers. "And who might <em>you</em> be?"</p>
<p>"Someone who's not interested." Hinata quickly stood up, annoyed that this guy had interrupted her talk with the blond ninja. "I have stuff to do." She walked towards where Naruto lay with the big white dog on top, licking his face as he tried to push him off.</p>
<p>When he finally succeeded, he gave Hinata a lopsided grin, apologizing for his friend's behavior. Kiba just sat there astonished, that a beautiful girl had just ignored him completely.</p>
<p>Her lips quirked up a bit, "Here." Naruto took the bag from her delicate hands and saw his black jacket inside. "Sorry for holding on to that for so long. I meant to return it when you guys came to the compound the other day, but Natsu-san said it was being cleaned."</p>
<p>"Oh, no worries." Naruto shook his hands, eyes closed in embarrassment. "I won't be having missions so soon, so there wasn't really any rush."</p>
<p>As far as she knew, at least from what Hanabi and Neji had told her, Naruto was one of the best ninja's in Konoha, being considered a hero after saving everyone from Pein; and as a result, he and his team were requested to go on missions far more often than the others, so it made Hinata wonder why he said he wasn't going to leave so soon.</p>
<p>
  <em>Could it have something to do with me? After all, he's been stationed outside my window every night since I came to Konoha.</em>
</p>
<p>"Well, I was feeling guilty for keeping it for so long." Hinata cracked her knuckles nervously, seeing in her peripheral vision as Neji and Hanabi approached them. "But now that you have it, I can go on my way. See you later!" She ran off before Naruto could say anything, leaving him, Kiba and Akamaru standing there, watching as the three Hyugas walked away.</p>
<p>"So… are you gonna tell me who the babe is?"</p>
<p>"You'll soon find out." Naruto patted the dog's head twice before jumping onto a rooftop, not in the mood for Kiba's questioning.</p>
<p>"She smells different. Don't ya think Akamaru?" Kiba said to his long time companion as he sat back in the bench, he first saw her and Naruto at.</p>
<p>Barking in agreement, Akamaru jumped on the bench, waiting for Kiba's orders.</p>
<p>Closing his eyes, the Inuzuka heir sniffed the air a couple more times before coming to a conclusion. "Strangely familiar, but still <em>different</em>."</p>
<hr/>
<p>On their way back to the compound, the three Hyuga ran into Sakura and Ino, who seemed to be discussing some medical issue. The blonde kept rolling her eyes at her friend whilst Sakura pointed towards a paper and waved her hands around, both clearly distracted.</p>
<p>Neji muttered a small prayer that the gossip queen of Konoha and her best friend wouldn't notice him and his cousins. Last thing he needed was for Ino to begin hounding Hinata.</p>
<p>"I told you, it just doesn't add up!" The pink haired girl pointed out, shoving a finger in her friend's face. "There's a mutation in one of the genes that-"</p>
<p>"If you keep pestering me with it, I'll- Wait! Hi!" Noticing the usual grumpy Neji Hyuga accompanied by his little cousin and a girl she had never set eyes on; a sly smile came on to her lips as she quickly understood who <em>she</em> was.</p>
<p>"I knew we should have stayed back at the compound." Neji complained as he held on to Hanabi's hand tighter. He watched as Ino's back straightened and a cocky smile played her lips. Hinata just stared at both girls, her expression similar to Hiashi's usual one. Neji knew she must be tired and the longer they were outside, more people would see them, and more rumors would begin to swirl around the village.</p>
<p>Before Ino could say anything further, the eldest Hyuga stepped closer to his cousin. "Very nice to see you two. <em>Bye</em>." Trying to get them out of there, he placed his free hand on Hinata's back, motioning her forward.</p>
<p>But Sakura and Ino got in the way, grinning from ear to ear. Well, Ino was grinning. Sakura was trying her hardest not to glare.</p>
<p>"We haven't met, but I've heard <em>a lot</em> about you! I'm Ino Yamanaka!" She paused in front of the bluenette who stared at both girls impassively.</p>
<p>"Hinata <em>Hyuga</em>." Said girl nodded her head, tired of all the social interactions. She wanted nothing more than to get to her bedroom and stay there the rest of her day, <em>after </em>Hanabi's training of course.</p>
<p>"Hey! We didn't mean to bother, me and Ino were just leaving!" Sakura put her hands on the blonde's shoulders, smiling at Hinata with the fakest smile she could as she insulted her blonde best friend under her breath.</p>
<p>"No we weren't! I want to get to know her!" Ino shrugged her off and grabbed Hinata's hands. "My father told me about you the other day! And I'm really curious about you, so I was thinking we could <em>all</em> go out for coffee sometime. Or have a special dinner for you to meet the rest of the gang!" She smiled at Neji and let go of her hands, noticing how unconfortable she'd gotten. "We can't let Neji keep you all to himself, can we? So, next week! Dinner at the barb-"</p>
<p>Before Hinata could respond, Neji had already begun to walk away pulling her along.</p>
<p>"She'll think about it." Hanabi said and ran after her sister and her cousin who was currently lecturing the blue haired Hyuga about Ino and the others.</p>
<p>"And here I was thinking Tenten had removed the stick up his butt." Ino shook her head disapprovingly, her hands on her hips as she watched them go.</p>
<p>"See. I told you something's wrong with her." Sakura claimed and turned to go back to the hospital, more specifically the labs.</p>
<p>For the millionth time that day, Ino rolled her pale blue eyes and followed after her. "She didn't even talk. You're biased, forehead."</p>
<p>"Biased?"</p>
<p>Ino ignored her confused friend as she walked past. "Are you just going to stay there or are you coming?"</p>
<p>Frowning, Sakura followed quietly.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Now, in Ino's team there's Choji and Shikamaru. Choji is really nice so we don't have to worry about him. Shikamaru may ask some question but will keep mostly to himself."</p>
<p>"Yeah, he's too lazy." Hanabi interjected as Neji kept rambling on. Hinata smiled at the little girl and nodded towards her cousin for him to continue.</p>
<p>Not loosing his train of thought, "Then there's team eight, Kiba, Tamaki and Shino. Shino is a very quiet person so we can put him in the <em>safe list. </em>Tamaki… she's also neutral, I guess. But Kiba… stay away from him!"</p>
<p>"Wait, isn't Kiba the one with the big white dog?" Hinata asked as she cocked her head to the side once she saw Neji's shoulders stiffen. Turning around with a menacing glare, he asked quietly. "You've met him?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, he interrupted my conversation with Naruto back there."</p>
<p>Hanabi giggled as Neji's left eye twitched. "Hinata. I know you've only been with us for a while but, I'm gonna need for you to listen to me carefully."</p>
<p>Sensing his serious tone, but also figuring where he was going to go with this conversation, she tried her hardest not to laugh as she eyed him innocently. "Kiba is a man-whore. One would think he'd have more respect, but he claims to be trying to find his so called <em>mate</em>. But don't believe a word he says. He's a pig and will try to have sex with you only to dump you the next morning or a few days later.</p>
<p>"His mother and sister always say he'll calm down eventually, that it's all related to his age but, <em>stay. Away. From. Him."</em></p>
<p>"Don't worry, cousin Neji. I have no interest in the likes of him." She spoke nice and slowly as if she were calming down a frightened animal. "What about you team?"</p>
<p>"Oh, you mean his <em>girlfriend </em>and his <em>rival?" </em>Hanabi asked teasingly and she herself explained. "Well, Tenten is a badass! I really like her. And Lee can sometimes be a little too much, but the flames of youth are strong within him!" She said raising her fist, looking passionately towards the horizon. "He'll kick Neji's butt if you ask him."</p>
<p>"Hanabi." Neji ruffled the little girl's hair a little too harshly and she ran to Hinata's other side, making her older sister stand in the middle. "Lee could never beat me. So don't believe what she's proclaiming. Well, finally, we have team seven, that used to be Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke but now is Naruto, Sakura and Sai. Sai is as weird as they come, he has zero comprehension of emotions, although he's been getting better since he began dating Ino; then there's Sakura, similar to Ino but the banshee version."</p>
<p>Hanabi nodded her head, agreeing with her cousin. "But she's not too bad. She's smart and she's a great med-nin. One of the best actually."</p>
<p>"Yes. She's trained under Tsunade-Sama."</p>
<p>"Oh, yeah I know. Sakura healed my injuries when they found me in the woods." Hinata greeted the two guards outside the Hyuga compound and followed Neji through the halls, as he led her towards the training ground where Hiashi would be waiting for Hanabi.</p>
<p>Said girl ran to her room to change clothes before meeting them back at the training ground.</p>
<p>"And finally we have Naruto. Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja, and it's hero. He's a knucklehead but he's not too bad. On most days he can be manageable." Neji sat on the small steps that led down to where his uncle and little cousin would be training, Hinata following suit.</p>
<p>"Hm, so those are all your friends?"</p>
<p>"On most days." Sensing her confusion, "When they are not being annoying."</p>
<p>Seeing his arms crossed, Hinata's mouth curved up a bit before she spoke. "You know, you talked about all of them <em>except </em>for Tenten." Neji's eyes widened and he turned slowly to face his cousin.</p>
<p>She was playing with her now unbound hair, looking as innocent as they come. "I guess I'll have to take Hanabi's word as well as uncle Hizashi's, as true."</p>
<p>"My father's... word?"</p>
<p>"Oh, yeah. He and Hiashi as well as Kakashi-sama already gave me the run through of our age group. And uncle Hizashi was quite proud of his '<em>son's girlfriend'</em>." She teased, hitting him with her elbow. Before Neji could contradict those words, <em>again</em>, Hanabi and Hiashi walked into the space and began their training.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"She's good." Hinata praised Hanabi as she moved around the training ground with confidence, showing off her skills a little bit more than necessary.</p>
<p>"Still a little rough around the edges but she'll get there in no time." Hizashi assented, byakugan active to study how Hanabi was controlling her chakra. She had a tendency to use a little more than necessary, due to her eagerly jumping to attack the opponent. Against other people it wouldn't make much difference, but against Hiashi it was one of the things that poised her to lose.</p>
<p>Neji had left to go help his mother with some menial task as his father joined them, so she and Hizashi ended up watching Hanabi's training from the side together. Hinata had switched from her kimono to a pair of leggings and a t-shirt, twenty minutes after the training session begun. She wore a baggy lavender hoodie on top, but it was opened.</p>
<p>"She dances around too much. Usually that would be good against other opponents, but Hiashi uses it to his advantage. She should take more advantage of her affinities. It might help on her surprise attacks." Hinata said and that made Hizashi quirk an eyebrow up. "I'd say she's maybe <em>earth</em>, could <em>definitely </em>befire. My brother used to struggle a lot in his taijustu due to it. Took him years to perfect his taijustu, but he's more of a 'kill now, ask questions later'. Not that he kills people, he just goes head on to a fight and surprisingly has always gotten good results." Hinata rambled on, leaning against a wood pillar, remembering how Aki and Omoi used to spar. <em>Messy was the word.</em></p>
<p>Hizashi watched her carefully, meaning to ask a few questions but he was quickly interrupted by several kunai thrown in their direction. Before he could move to protect Hinata, he noticed the Kunai had already been caught by his niece who stood there impassive, her byakugan active.</p>
<p>"Sorry bout that!" Hanabi began but seeing as Hinata had already stopped the weapons from hitting her, she could only stare open mouthed. One, because she didn't know her sister could use the byakugan, and two, <em>how the hell did she do that?!</em></p>
<p>Hiashi, who had accidently thrown the kunai his eldest daughter's way as he performed the rotation, reactivated his byakugan. Many questions bubbled up in his mind as he saw a different kind of chakra quickly dispersing. As if nothing strange had happened.</p>
<p>Smiling, the bluenette moved to Hanabi's side as she handed the little girl the only kunai that had a small trinket attached to it. "Kunais aren't toys, Hanabi. You shouldn't put these trinkets in them."</p>
<p>Hanabi, looking at her older sister with starry eyes, held onto the kunai with both hands before pestering Hinata for them to train together. Laughing, Hinata ruffled her hair, "Sorry little one, maybe some other time." Seeing her mood deflate a bit, Hinata sighted before promising she would eventually teach her a special trick once she got better in controlling her chakra.</p>
<p>Hiashi smiled softly, exchanging looks with his twin. Nodding, Hizashi closed the doors that led to the training ground.</p>
<p>"Hinata!" Hiashi called, ending Hanabi's rambling and Hinata's careful explanations. "Let's see what you've learned all these years. Hanabi, we're done for today."</p>
<p>Hanabi quickly left, standing at Hinata's old spot as her uncle settled down next to her.</p>
<p>"I don't think-" Hinata began, not really wanting to fight the Hyuga clan head. She could end up hurting him or <em>her </em>getting hurt. After all the scrolls she had based her techniques on may have been from the Hyuga clan, but one or two explanations of the very basics were never much of help.</p>
<p>She could always call up her marks, but with the byakugan active, Hiashi would see right trough it and it would only lead to even more questions. She had already endured a few interrogations on what she'd learned whilst training with Orochimaru, but no one in this village knew about the <em>fury.</em></p>
<p>Hinata knew she'd have to eventually tell not only her family but the Hokage as well, but she wasn't hurting anyone. And it was something she had complete control over. <em>Unless I was in a life or death situation.</em></p>
<p>Resigning to the idea that she didn't have a choice. Hinata sighted in defeat and got in her stance, re-activating her byakugan.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone! So I had to make Karui and Omoi the other two missing children (now adults) cause they're seriously two of my faves. I just love their personalities and overall dynamic! Aki is a OC I created only because I didn't know who to make the fifth one so yeah…</p>
<p>I have also shed some light on their other abilities, the main reason as to why Orochimaru picked them in the first place. But will continue to lift more of the veil in the next chapters!</p>
<p>I had posted on my tumblr page a preview of this chapter as well for chapter 10 of echoes of silence, so if you also read said fic you can go over there and take a look! (username is the same – ellaroundpanda)</p>
<p>This chapter took a little while, not only because of college, but also because I had only an idea for that beginning part, and the rest I always kept changing. But yeah.</p>
<p>Although I want to keep this fic somewhat short (around 30/40 chapters), I still have to put in a little bit of 'filler' so yeah.</p>
<p>It's funny cause my in my mind I keep picturing events that play MUCH later on, and then I'm just here like 'but wtf leads up to it?' so I'm in the midst of processing that.</p>
<p>Hope you guys enjoyed it! Leave a comment down bellow about what you thought of this chapter and what are your predictions about Hinata and her siblings abilities!</p>
<p>See you next time!</p>
<p>Ella</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto decided to stop by his apartment for a quick shower and a nap, before going out again. As he pulled out his keys to open his door, he heard the familiar screech of his fangirls calling out his name.</p><p>"Fuck." He might be a ninja but sometimes he doubted his skills when his fangirls appeared out of nowhere and began demanding attention. He now understood why Sasuke had been so apathetic towards his own fangirls and always gave them a cold shoulder. <em>Okay, that might not have been the only reason, </em>Naruto recalled before shaking his head to clear his thoughts.</p><p>Taking a deep breath, he jumped to the rooftop of his building and went directly to the Hyuga compound. He could always rest his eyes for a bit and leave his shadow clones on watch duty.</p><p>As he neared the compound, he could distinctly hear Sakura complaining to Ino about something. <em>They must be heading to the hospital for another shift.</em></p><p>"She didn't even talk. You're biased forehead."</p><p>"Biased?" Sakura extended her arms, her face scrunched up with confusion. "Are you going to just stay there or are you coming?" Ino ignored Sakura and continued down the street.</p><p>Naruto watched with amusement as his teammate and her best friend bickered. But before he could leave, Ino sensed his presence and a wicked grin took over her features. Seeing her finger pointing directly towards him she heard Ino tell Sakura, "There's the reason for your bias!"</p><p>"What? Whe- Naruto!" Sakura's jade eyes met his and before the pinkette could say anything, Naruto jumped down, looking to each side of the street before meeting them.</p><p>"Hey! Goin' to the hospital?"</p><p>Ino looked at him with a smirk and punched Sakura's shoulder. "Forehead here has found a very interesting thing in her research. Why don't you tell him all about it?"</p><p>Not quite understanding Sakura's glare towards Ino and the blonde's laugh, Naruto frowned.</p><p>"Well, I… It's not really that interesting, cause you see-"</p><p>"Are you alright Sakura?" Naruto touched her forehead as her cheeks seemed to gain some color, but she brushed his arm off shaking her head.</p><p>"Yeah, Ino has been getting on my nerves today, nothing out of the ordinary!" She smiled, hoping he would just drop it. Ino's indignant 'what?!' glare made Naruto look between both girls in confusion.</p><p>"Would you like to come with us? I'm sure the children at the hospital would love a visit from their hero!" Sakura pushed Ino, who continuously stared at the pinkette open mouthed. "We could take the time to catch up, lately you've been so caught up with your mission that-"</p><p>A faint screeching noise alerted all of Naruto's senses. "As much as I'd like to catch up I gotta go! I'll stop by at the hospital tomorrow! See ya!" Naruto had spotted his hoard of fangirls and wanted to take refuge within the only place in Konoha where they wouldn't dare to look.</p><p>The fangirls had managed to find every single place he liked to hang out and where he went to clear his head. Each day it passed, it seemed to get worse and worse. And not even Sakura's threats kept them away. <em>I regret the moment I gave them attention.</em></p><p>Those first few <em>weeks </em>of having everyone's attention had been fun, but it became tiring. Now all he wanted was some peace and quiet.</p><p>"Naruto, wait!" Sakura called out, hand reaching out to him, but he was already out of reach.</p><p>When he finally got to the compound, he was careful to lower his chakra and remain hidden in between the trees. He waited for about twenty minutes. Hinata had yet to go to her room, Hanabi's was empty as well. Another ten minutes passed; he was already getting bored of looking at empty rooms when it hit him.</p><p>"The training grounds!" He stated before leaping to another tree and quickly went to where he could feel the strongest chakra coming from. It was weird. One of them he clearly identified as Hiashi's, the other belonged to, <em>Hinata?</em></p><p>When he perched himself on one of the trees that gave him the best view and he almost fell from the tree branch.</p><p>"What the fuck?" He quickly regained his footing and stared dumbfounded as Hiashi and Hinata fought.</p><hr/><p>"Stop holding yourself back Hinata!" Hiashi called her out. She was trying to pinpoint where to hit next when she felt Naruto's presence nearby. A small smile tugged at her lips and she decided to taunt Hiashi some more.</p><p>"You stop holding back! I'm not made of glass." She charged forward, knowing that Hiashi would most likely take the offensive so she remained neutral by just focusing her Byakugan on a specific tenketsu on his left shoulder, willing it to close.</p><p>As she predicted, Hiashi loosened up a bit and began taking her more seriously, in doing so, Hinata knew she had to sacrifice her right side, but the damage was minimal, and she was able to prevent the full strike.</p><p>By then father and daughter were both left panting, having lost track of time as they sparred. Hinata had a mild pain on her leg from his previous attack whilst Hiashi was clearly struggling to keep his arms up in stance. He couldn't determine <em>when </em>she had closed it, but he pushed through the pain, and held himself as best as he could.</p><p>"She's toying with uncle." The bluenette heard Neji mutter, she was now a few feet away from where her cousin, his father and her sister watched. It was true, she wouldn't call it <em>toying</em>, but it came close, but so was Hiashi.</p><p>On one side she was trying not to show herself too much to not lift many suspicions, but she couldn't play the weak card cause the person who had trained her was Orochimaru. She couldn't shift either, the Byakugan would spot the chakra abnormality instantly and she wasn't ready to come clean. <em>Yet</em>.</p><p>If Hinata had shifted, and used two of the markings, her Tenketsus would be harder to spot and she would've probably ended it already, if, and only if,Hiashi weren't the clan head.</p><p>Her form wasn't perfect, but she had a flawless technique that she had adapted from the stolen scrolls, but the adaptation can't beat the original version. So going head to head with her biological father might have not been one of her best ideas.</p><p>"Do it Hinata!" He yelled out again. He got himself ready to send another air palm her way, but she was faster and zig-zagged towards him, her fists surrounded by her blue-purple chakra as she aimed straight to his chest.</p><p>Surprised with her speed and agility Hiashi prepared himself for another rotation but decided to improvise the moment he caught the slight movement of her pupils, that for anyone other than a Hyuga would be almost impossible to detect, <em>Hell, even to some of the other clansmen it would be hard to spot</em>. He had seen her do it before and prepared himself.</p><p>Hinata jumped and turned quickly, her hand coming close to his back when Hiashi himself turned and caught her wrist mid movement. His right hand was holding her left wrist tightly, his free hand poised to touch her neck whilst Hinata's right hand was that close to touch his abdomen.</p><p>"Okay, that's <em>enough</em> for today you two!" Hizashi was worried for his twin and his niece who seemed to be determined to bring one another to the brink of exhaustion.</p><p>Shaking his head, he approached the duo, who had their gazes locked and remained in the same positions, neither wanting to admit having lost. "It's a tie. You can test each other some other time. You have a meeting in 30 minutes brother. If you keep the elders waiting, they-"</p><p>"Stay out of this." Hiashi warned, his eyes never leaving his eldest's fiery gaze. "Hinata and I are not done, are we?" Hinata's answering smirk told both twins everything they needed to know.</p><p>"Fine. Do what you want. I'm gonna grab something to eat. Hanabi, Neji, follow me." Hizashi walked out grumbling to himself about stubborn people. Hanabi and Neji were both watching dumbfounded. Hanabi who had always considered Neji to be the very best, besides her father, and always pestered him to help her train, seemed to have found another person who left her starry eyed.</p><p>Neji, having returned after a good twenty minutes of hearing his mother complaining about some of the elders, couldn't believe what he had just witnessed for the past hour and a half. Hinata managed to meet each of Hiashi's movements, blow by blow. It left him staring open mouthed at his cousin, who seemed so fragile, so docile, and yet, there had been a fiery passion hidden underneath all that sweetness and that gave him shivers.</p><p>Someday he would want to spar with her as well, but not before studying her fighting style in advance.</p><p>After a few minutes, they broke apart, Hiashi holding onto his left arm and Hinata showing signs of a limp. Hiashi's form of acknowledgement was a nod towards his daughter and then leaving her standing there. Neji caught the smile on the usually stoic clan head and went to help his cousin.</p><p>"You okay?" He asked, watching as she took several deep breaths, eyes closed. "Hinata?"</p><p>Not realizing she was trying to call her first mark to help attenuate her limp, Neji put one of her arms around his shoulder and walked her to her bedroom.</p><p>Hiashi, who had stayed behind to watch the scene unfold, thinking his daughter would crumble to the ground, was surprised to see her walk and smile to Neji. He himself didn't want to admit it, but whatever methods Orochimaru had used, Hinata's form was really good, but there were some movements she struggled with, nothing a few training sessions wouldn't solve.</p><p>He looked forward for more sparring sessions as it made him understand his eldest's better.</p><hr/><p>Naruto waited by his regular spot, his mind still processing what he had just watched. He was more than impressed with Hinata's abilities, and he was sure Hiashi was too.</p><p>For a Hyuga who had grown up away from the clan, Hinata grasped the basics of the gentle fist better than some clansmen. He could pinpoint where Orochimaru had influenced her fighting and where she had adapted it to her own unique style.</p><p>When her fists were surrounded by her chakra, he saw how Hiashi redoubled his efforts and when exactly what had been a simple spar escalated to something more.</p><p>But Naruto also noticed that Hinata had been struggling, as if she were having an internal debate. He couldn't tell what it was, but Hiashi hadn't been the only one who had to redouble his efforts, after some time, the blue haired Hyuga did as well, but played it off as if it were nothing.</p><p>In the end, Naruto couldn't tell who exactly had won. <em>But </em>one thing he knew for sure was that Hiashi would probably ask to spar with his eldest daughter some other time, and, when Kakashi green lighted them, Naruto himself would want to as well.</p><p>Distracted by his thoughts, he failed to notice when a certain blue haired Hyuga entered her room and discarded her clothes as she went inside her bathroom to shower. When he came to, thanks to Hanabi who had been bickering with Neji in the adjacent room, he leaned against the tree, his right arm resting on his bent knee as he surveilled the area.</p><p>The sun had already set and keeping his eyes open was proving to be a difficult task. Summoning one of his clones who then promptly stood with its arms crossed, looking down on him and shaking his head, the original order him to keep watch.</p><p>The clone, ignoring his boss, grumbled to himself, complaining about how boring the task at hands was, until Hinata came out of her private bathroom wearing the tiniest towel he had ever seen.</p><p>His cheeks reddened as she unwrapped the towel from her head and let the wet strands of hair fall down her back. Hinata then sat on her bed, combing her hair, clearly distracted by her thoughts.</p><p>The clone was staring open mouthed as she stood up and let said towel fall down to her feet. <em>I shouldn't be watching, </em>the clone thought to himself, as the original was drooling whilst he slept.</p><p>Unable to move his gaze from a very naked Hinata who now lay on her stomach in her bed reading some kind of book, facing her window as her legs swung absentmindedly in the air, he started to feel flustered.</p><p><em>Why can't she just put some clothes on? </em>He asked himself, but then remembered that she was in her room and he was the 'pervert' on surveillance duty. <em>Right.</em></p><p>Cursing the original for putting him in this position, he decided to wake him. <em>That will show him. </em>The clone popped himself off and a few seconds later, the memories of Hinata's curvy figure entered his head and Naruto fell off the tree.</p><hr/><p>Hinata, who had known Naruto was outside asleep, stood up and took one of the robes Natsu had left for her on the closet door, once she heard the crashing noise.</p><p>"Hello?" She called, stepping out of her room through the sliding doors. "Naruto?" She called out again hearing an 'ow' as an answer.</p><p>Said boy stood up from the bushes near the tree he usually sat at. "Hi!" Hinata hid a small smile as she saw how red his face was. She didn't mean to scare him; she had actually forgotten about his presence when she got out of the bathroom. Her mind was too preoccupied with how she would be explaining to her closest family members what exactly she was and had done, and later on how to disclose that information to the Hokage without ending up in jail.</p><p>It was only when she sensed two presences instead of just one and heard a gasp and someone falling down onto the ground, that she remembered that she had yet to put clothes on. Back where she lived, she often lounged in her room naked after a bath, so when she determined she could do so freely in this new room of hers, she decided to go back to her old habits. <em>But apparently, I was wrong.</em></p><p>Her cheeks were slightly tinted red as she held the robe tighter and asked, "You okay?"</p><p>Scoffing as if nothing had happened, Naruto turned around, leaving her to face his back, as he finally answered. "Yeah, it was nothing." He flinched, the sudden sharp pain on his lower back making him hiss.</p><p>"You sure? You look like you've hurt your back." He had been rubbing a spot at the base of his spine when he had stood. "Come. I have something that can help." She extended her arm to touch his shoulder, when he turned around and walked a few steps back.</p><p>"No need, really. I'll be fine." He shrugged off, blushing once more, embarrassed by the entire situation. Something must have clicked for him, cause all of a sudden, his face went white. <em>How did she know it was me? Her Byakugan is not activated.</em></p><p>"Oh, really?" Quirking an eyebrow up and closing the distance between them, she looked up to the tree branch he usually perched at, "Are you certain you can handle another four hours up there?" Naruto's blue eyes widened as he looked down to meet her lavender ones.</p><p>"You know!" He accused; his mouth open wide with shock. "H-How long?"</p><p>"Since day one. I'm a sensory type ninja, Naruto. But don't worry tho. I'm not mad." She took him by his hand and led him to her bedroom. "Sit." She told him, pointing towards her bed.</p><p>The bluenette went inside her bathroom and took out the healing ointment her aunt had given her. Walking back to her room, she stood in front of a dumbfounded Naruto, whose blush had yet to disappear.</p><p>"Take off your shirt." She opened the small container whilst waiting for him to comply, but instead he kept staring at her. She frowned, looking back at him.</p><p>Naruto seemed to be lost in her lavender gaze. The entire situation had yet to be processed by his brain. All he knew was that he was very close to Hinata, who he knew was naked underneath the robe that came to the middle of her tights.</p><p>The memories of his clone burned on his eyes whenever he closed them. The blond already knew he would be having trouble sleeping and most likely, wouldn't be able to look at the once innocent looking Hinata Hyuga the same way ever again.</p><p>Hearing her melodious laugh, and seeing her biting her lip, almost made him forget why he was there. "Sorry, what?" He asked, noticing how close he was to her breasts.</p><p>She placed her hand on his cheek, drawing his face closer to hers as she leaned down. "Take off your shirt, Naruto."</p><p>Sensing the commanding tone in Hinata's soft voice, he complied, throwing it behind him. If he had been having dirty thoughts before, now they had clearly gotten worse as she leaned down once again. "Turn around and lay on the bed."</p><p>Again, he couldn't quite believe how he was now laying on the same spot he had seen her at before he fell down the tree. He could feel Hinata's body heat as she leaned over him and spread some cream on his back and a shiver ran down his spine as she did so.</p><p>"Sorry, my hands are a little cold." She apologized, massaging the spot she knew hurt the most. He wanted to tell her that wasn't the reason why he had shivered but refrained from doing so, he was now focused on suppressing his moans from how good her hands felt massaging his sore back.</p><p>"No worries. Besides, you didn't have to do this ya know?" He said, sitting up after she tapped on his shoulder, indicating she was done. Hinata still sat on her bed, one leg crossed over the other as she watched him put his shirt on.</p><p>"I mean, it kinda was my fault you fell, so…" She shrugged, amused by how flustered he got.</p><p>"Y-Yeah- Go around naked much?" Her eyes immediately widened, and Naruto gave an awkward laugh, mentally slapping himself. "S-Sorry. I didn't mean to-"</p><p>The smile she gave him was one of the most beautiful he had ever seen. "It's okay. I used to <em>sleep </em>naked, but since I came here, I've gone back to wearing nightgowns." Naruto noticed how she was struggling to not burst out laughing with his shocked reaction. He tried to respond but nothing coherent came out. Suddenly she looked towards the door and then back to him. "Cool. Cool." He managed after a while, shifting his gaze away from her legs. Seeing as her robe climbed a little higher when she turned towards the door.</p><p>"Neji's coming to check on me, so you should go back to your spot before he finds you here with me." The bluenette pointed towards his usual tree perch, a permanent grin etched on her full lips.</p><p>"Oh shit! Uh, thanks <em>again</em>." He nodded and scrambled out the window before Neji Hyuga came into the room.</p><p>Shaking her head, Hinata stood and went to her closet to grab a more appropriate outfit before her cousin knocked on her door.</p><p>Naruto spent quite some time with his back towards Hinata's room. The redness had yet to leave his face. Every time he considered turning around, images of her naked body and that innocent yet no so innocent look she always had on her flooded his head.</p><p>He cursed, already knowing that once he got home, he'd have to take a very long <em>cold </em>shower.</p><hr/><p>Outside of Konoha, in forest, Team Taka, minus Sasuke, was moving towards the spot closest to the Hyuga compound. It was intuitive that the only place Hinata could have been in the Hidden Village was with her biological family.</p><p>"Can you speed it up?" Suigetsu nudged Karin with his foot whilst she tried to find Hinata's unique chakra signature. "We need to go back and tell Orochimaru that she is indeed in Konoha and that we have to make a plan to take her back."</p><p>"Would you shut your fucking mouth? I am <em>trying</em> to concentrate." Karin replied, clearly annoyed. But then again when wasn't she annoyed with Suigetsu?</p><p>"Let her be." Juugo touched his white haired teammate's shoulder and said teammate sneered.</p><p>"I don't understand why they bothered sending us. She was last spotted in the woods near Konoha, so it was obvious they would've brought her back to the village. If you ask me, this is a waste of our time."</p><p>"That's the point you asshole, no one asked you. So. Shut. Up!" Karin glanced back and saw Juugo siting on a tree branch distracted by a squirrel while Suigetsu merely paced around.</p><p>Turning her focus back onto the village, she tried as hard as she could to find Hinata's chakra but with no success. She was about to give up when suddenly she felt the small peak that indicated that her blue haired friend called up at least two of her markings. <em>Gotcha.</em></p><p>"She's there."</p><p>"<em>See! </em>That surprises <em>no one</em>." Suigetsu looked towards Juugo who had closed his eyes and seemed to be lost in his thoughts.</p><p>"I wonder how Sasuke will react." Was what the redhead said before Karin visibly tensed. "I hope you guys are ready for the outburst. I certainly am not."</p><p>Karin and Suigetsu exchanged looks before the latter spoke up, "Don't look at me. I'm letting Aki or Omoi break the news. Last thing I need is Sasuke's rage on me."</p><hr/><p>A few days later the trio entered the hideout. Once they met with Orochimaru, the snake sannin was visibly distressed. Karin knew the true reason behind it but kept to herself.</p><p>And she was secretly glad Hinata managed to escape. If it was up to her, all of the other <em>Fury</em>'s would've left as well.</p><p>"So our suspicions were correct…" He muttered to himself as he sat back on his desk. "And she's with the other Hyuga already?"</p><p>"I'm afraid so." Karin answered, noticing how concerned he was. "We decided to come back and plan a better strategy before we go in."</p><p>"Yeah. Last thing we need is a bunch of Hyuga's coming after us. And Hinata. She was pretty mad when she left. If you ask me, we leave her there. You still have the other four." Suigetsu shrugged, not quite reading the room.</p><p>Orochimaru was displeased with his statement and it was clear that at any moment he would snap at the loudmouth. "Besides, what are you planning to do with the <em>Fury</em>? All these years you've been training them, for what? I understand you're concerned with Madara, cause if he finds them, having the tailed beasts or not wouldn't really matter. But what's with all the secrecy?"</p><p>An awkward silence followed. Kabuto, who had entered right when Suigetsu mentioned Madara, motioned for Karin and Juugo to leave the room and drag their teammate with them.</p><p>"Ignore him. The boy is not aware of your plan, Orochimaru-Sama." Kabuto gave him a cup with his medicine before he continued. "Sasuke-kun will awake by nightfall. Akihiko-kun is stationed outside his door and it seems Temari-chan is keeping him company. Should I tell Sasuke to head straight to Konoha or have him wait?"</p><p>Orochimaru had yet to speak. The anger he felt knowing that his precious <em>little one</em>, probably hated him by now and had possibly started to form a bond with her biological family, had him grinding his teeth. Hinata had always been his favorite.</p><p>For years he had tried and tried to break her spirit to take away that gentleness that was oh so Hinata and failed miserably, and that made him gain an attachment to her.</p><p>At least the seals he had put in her mind were holding on perfectly, otherwise she would have found her way back, or someone from that village would, to have revenge. To wake one's fury wasn't an easy task and it probably would've gone unnoticed by her family if he hadn't taken her under his wing. It had been centuries since the perfect candidate had been born, so the knowledge of that hidden power had been forgotten by most.</p><p>But not to Orochimaru. When he had found the forbidden scrolls, there had been one bearing the Hyuga seal that detailed the specific conditions one required to awaken it. The Lightning Fury had always belonged to the Hyuga, but not everyone could yield such power.</p><p>For starters, it would have to be a female, preferentially one that belonged to the main house. Then, she couldn't have already awakened the Byakugan, so at the time Orochimaru couldn't do anything about it since the clan head had yet to have children.</p><p>The individual also had to be born on a new moon's night and after obtaining the other <em>Fury</em>, each with its particularities, he checked the records to see if a Hyuga had been born into the main family.</p><p>And, surprisingly enough, there had been one girl, born into the main house, who at that time was only three years old.</p><p><em>Perfect</em>, he had thought back then. Orochimaru knew that it would be difficult to infiltrate Konoha due to all the disappearances that had been going around the hidden villages. But convincing the Raikage that kidnapping said Hyuga would be useful and that the timing was perfect, was easy.</p><p>Killing said kidnappers, <em>easier</em>.</p><p>The hard part came when he had brought Hinata back to the hideout. The little girl kept crying and screaming for her father to help her. But thanks to the rogue Yamanaka he had kept by his side, he was able to place seals that not even Inoichi could find and break through. So from then on, Hinata and all the others, became attached to Orochimaru and treated him as if they were blood related.</p><p>But, different from the others, since she had been the youngest, the two became really close, and sometimes Orochimaru forgot that she wasn't his by blood. How he watched with pride when he sent her out on missions and she did them without questioning him, always able to complete them perfectly.</p><p>Training her became his favorite pastime. She was a quick learner and even when she had difficulties, she trained even harder to perfect her skills. But that tenderness, the sweetness of her personality, was something he could not change. Try as he might, he could never take that away from her.</p><p>All five went along perfectly, just like the scroll had said they would. The moment the five of them awakened that power, they would be linked for the rest of their lives-</p><p>"Orochimaru-Sama?" Kabuto asked and the snake immediately came back to the present and looked towards the medic nin.</p><p>"Sasuke will need some time. Tell him he has three months to prepare himself. If the others bother you much with my decision, give them the suppressants and order them to train, I want Omoi with all seven marks before Hinata gets back. We don't have much time left."</p><p>"Yes, master."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey guys! I decided to keep this one short and give more of an insight to Orochimaru's reasons.</p><p>Next chapter I'm planning to have Hinata meet the rest of the gang and a little more insight to what went down between Sasuke and Hinata!</p><p>As always, thank you for your support and all the amazing reviews!</p><p>See you next time!</p><p>Ella</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Are you sure we should allow the girl to roam this free?"</p>
<p>A dark chuckle answered, followed by, "None of us approves of this. After all, we made sure everything went the way it was supposed to, that night."</p>
<p>"<em>Tch</em>. Hiashi has gone <em>soft</em>. If it were up to <em>me</em>, we would either seal the girl or send her back to where she came from." A man with graying hair closed the door behind him and sat next to the other elders, his wife trailing behind him.</p>
<p>The man who had initiated the meeting poured some tea into his cup and of the other four people in the room. "<em>You fools</em>. Best if we did <em>both</em>! After all, we were right all along. Hinata <em>is </em>a <em>fury</em> and under other circumstances we would have been rid of this problem already." The five elders sat around the low table and talked quietly so as to not be heard in case any guards passed by the door.</p>
<p>"You all heard of last week's spar have you not?" Scolding, the Hyuga elder turned towards his wife and chastised. "<em>You</em> were supposed to keep that girl busy, <em>distracted.</em>"</p>
<p>"It's not my fault that she and the branch members get along so well. One would have thought they would repudiate her as much as we do." The wife sipped from her cup and looked towards her cousin, who had called for this meeting. Since her husband couldn't be called to reason, Hayami decided to take matters into her own hands in trying to dissuade these people, thankfully one of the others seemed to share the same thought.</p>
<p>"But is she not a Hyuga?" The fifth, and oldest of the group, spoke up, annoyed by all this nonsense. "Don't we all share the same <em>blood</em>? The same <em>doujutsu</em>?" Hajime, the elder who was now practically blind, due mostly to his age, shook his head, all the while he grumbled to himself that he was better in his bed than here listening to all these absurd plans. It wasn't as if he liked the girl, but he wasn't bothered by her presence. <em>Secretly</em> he was glad the true heiress had returned to her clan. But he had his own reservations, mostly due to the fact she had been raised by a snake.</p>
<p>"Oh please." Hayami's husband slammed his hand on the table, rattling the cups as everyone quieted. "By now that <em>thing</em> is anything but. A devious monster such as Orochimaru must have dissected her alive and made alterations as he saw fit. That <em>girl </em>is just another one of his abominations. She should have never been accepted back!"</p>
<p>"<em>Agreed</em>. If only the old Raikage kept his word and fulfilled the task we gave him." Goro, picked up a few scrolls and laid them on the table, Hayami helping secure them open by placing small paper weights on the corners. In them the beginnings of a plan were drawn, but there were still many details to be discussed.</p>
<p>"Hm. The kumo nins were weak and-" Hayami's husband continued before another voice rang out.</p>
<p>"Like it or not, Orochimaru is one of the legendary <em>sannin</em>, meaning those ninjas never stood a chance. Do you believe Orochimaru has gotten the rest of the scrolls?" Hajime interrupted and adjusted himself on the pillow on which he sat.</p>
<p>"<em>If he has,</em> we would've known by now… I believe he must have at least one or two and learned about the basics of a <em>fury</em>'s power. However, I also believe he has one of the final scrolls. Hence why he stole Hinata." Hayami spoke in between sips and gathered that the rest of the people in the room shared the same thought.</p>
<p>"Hm. Since we can't destroy the scroll, maybe we can convince the girl to leave? Or forge an <em>accident?" </em>Goro proposed and the rest of the elders seemed to dislike the plan. Said scroll sat in a wooden box next to Hajime.</p>
<p>It contained a detailed description of the <em>fury</em>'s powers, mainly their limits and how to unlock each of the seven markings without the secondary effects of doing so, it was common that the bearers of such powers were driven mad due to the strain caused to the body and mind.</p>
<p>So one of the first generations had written their own experience and the do's and don'ts, hoping it would help newer generations when the time came and the <em>fury</em>'s manifested themselves.</p>
<p>"After what happened, I doubt your <em>son</em> would allow for a plan like that to happen without us being discovered. We need to get closer to girl, get to know her fears and exploit her weaknesses… We can't let that thing corrupt our heiress." Hayami's husband pointed towards Goro, disgust written all over his features as he prattled on. "Even Hizashi has taking a liking to her… I saw them the other day playing <em>shogi</em> and from what I've heard, your grandchild was questioning the existence of the seal." A loud gasp was heard as he continued, "And has even implied that it <em>can </em>be broken. Her exact words were '<em>My brother could fix</em> <em>that'</em>, and we all know what that would mean…"</p>
<p>They all went silent for a few moments, but it was Hajime who broke it first. "Hn." Something similar to a snort came out of him. Crossing his arms, the elder shook his head, "The caged bird seal is unbreakable. <em>She can't do anything about it</em>."</p>
<p>Sensing the annoyed tone of voice, Goro decided to pick on the older man, knowing that he was one of the elders who still enforced the seal and would never agree with its abolishment. "Well, if I recall correctly, the <em>fire fury</em> can break any seal if given the proper training… and since Hinata was raised with the other <em>fury</em> there's no doubt that she'll find a way to break them and bring our clan to its ruin. It is only a matter of time until Hatake sends a team to rescue the other beasts. And when <em>that </em>happens, I would wager my own eyes on how Hinata would make sure the branch house members are freed from it."</p>
<p>It was Hayami's turn to shake her head and cross her arms, sending him a pointed look. Goro tended to exaggerate in his speech, not caring about the consequences if it helped him fulfill his objectives.</p>
<p>Feeling an elbow pressing somewhat uncomfortably on her ribs, she turned her head slowly towards her right, where her husband sat and saw the displeased look on his face.</p>
<p>When their gazes locked, she could read the message conveyed in them. <em>'Do not dare.'</em></p>
<p>"Well, if that's the case, then we must go through with the plan sooner rather than later. It's our clan's legacy that's on the line." The first elder finally spoke and received nods from everyone who sat on the table.</p>
<p>Hajime, not wanting to risk the centuries old tradition agreed with the other three, although somewhat reluctantly.</p>
<p>As for Hayami…</p>
<hr/>
<p>"You couldn't even stand up for your granddaughter?" She asked her husband as they got ready to sleep, back in their shared bedroom. Try as she might most of them were dead set on getting rid of her granddaughter as they had tried sixteen years ago, and there was nothing she could do about it.</p>
<p>"She's no granddaughter of mine." The man answered sternly as he lay on the bed, facing he window. "The others are right. That thing is no longer human. She's worse than those demon brats." <em>The jinchuuriki</em>, Hayami thought, were nothing but victims as well since they didn't get a say on whether the beast was sealed inside them or not.</p>
<p>"How can you say such things? If our daughter could hear-"</p>
<p>"Don't you dare mention <em>her</em>!" He frowned and then, upon realization his wife wouldn't let him sleep until they had settled this matter, he reminded her of a very important detail. "You seem to have forgotten that the only reason Hitomi is no longer with us is because she birthed that thing."</p>
<p>Seething in rage, she activated her Byakugan and threatened. "How <em>dare</em> you. Hinata is our flesh and blood. I <em>refuse</em> to go along this absurd plan of yours. I won't do anything to harm <em>my </em>granddaughter!"</p>
<p>It was then he came to the realization why all of the sudden his wife was so overprotective.</p>
<p>"Is it <em>guilt</em>? <em>Remorse</em>?" Sarcasm was evident in his voice. "That's what's eating you up isn't it you ungrateful woman?" He spat bitterly, a low chuckle coming out of his throat as he turned around slightly, "You can't even talk to the girl properly. Every time she passes by us you become an utter mess, <em>stuttering</em>, <em>hiding</em> from her." He shook his head, sitting up to meet her glare. "Is it because you're the one who handed her right into the hands of those kumo nins? Is it because they failed in their attempts to kill the <em>freak</em>?"</p>
<p>Byakugan deactivating, the Hyuga elder felt her eyes tear up.</p>
<p>Her husband is <em>right</em>.</p>
<p>She is guilt ridden and every time she faced Hinata it was if Hitomi had come back to haunt her. The shape of her face, of her eyes, the way she walked and the way she talked. Sometimes she had to activate her doujutsu to make sure that she wasn't seeing a ghost.</p>
<p>If she hadn't listened to her husband and the rest of the Hyuga council… maybe her daughter would still be alive. Hayami could never forget how Hitomi had taken the news, always hoping her baby was alive and safe.</p>
<p>As a mother it broke Hayami to watch her own baby suffer, but at the time she had done what she thought was best for the clan, what was best for Hitomi. But then she remembered the times where she would find her daughter sitting alone inside Hinata's bedroom, crying while clutching a favorite stuffed animal, or a blanket.</p>
<p>Or laying in the small bed as she muttered prayers to god to let her daughter be alive, safe and cared for. It was a heartbreaking scene, and it felt like someone was stabbing Hayami's heart over and over whenever she found her daughter like that.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Hayami remembered as if it was yesterday when Hitomi announced she was pregnant. It had been one of the best days of both her and her husband's lives. But then, as the time went by and they discovered it was a girl and when the due date was, one of the most fanatic members of the Hyuga council dug up <em>the</em> ancient scroll and from then on it was utter chaos.</p>
<p>Some of the elders couldn't be prouder, full of themselves that the heiress would be born which such a gift. But others saw it as a bad omen, and so, they began conjuring up plans on how to deal with the situation.</p>
<p>Among the latter were her and her husband. Like many others, they had been convinced that the power Hinata would inherit would lead to the demise of their clan, and possibly the village itself.</p>
<p>Once the little girl was born, for the first two years, she thought it all to be a mistake and that their little sunshine was not meant to destroy their clan as the radicals had once claimed. Even at that young age, she was the exact copy of their daughter Hitomi, and Hayami was softened by that alone.</p>
<p>On the girl's third birthday was when she began having doubts and believing her husband's words.</p>
<p>One day, she had been babysitting the young heiress when the faction that believed Hinata was the devil incarnated, decided to make small experiments.</p>
<p>One of the elders had pushed too far and the three year old had almost killed him on the spot. At the time, Hayami had blocked the sound of her granddaughter's cries and pleas for help, watching as Goro's father tried to prod for answers, grabbing onto her tiny arm forcefully, trying to gauge a reaction. <em>From a toddler.</em> Looking back, Hayami realized how ridiculous it all was.</p>
<p>She didn't know <em>how</em> her granddaughter did it, but in one moment the elder had been close to fulfill his task and the other he was laying on the ground with a cardiac arrest and the tenketsu on his arm completely destroyed. To that day it hung limp and no doctor had been able to fix it.</p>
<p>
  <em>Her Byakugan isn't even activated… how the hell was that possible?</em>
</p>
<p>At the time, the thought of what else she might be capable of doing as the years would eventually go by, frightened her. To the point where she agreed to take Hinata and leave her in an area where the Kumo ninjas would easily take the child away.</p>
<p>Right after she placed little Hinata in the designated spot and saw the kidnappers move, Hayami had instantly regretted what had been done.</p>
<p>Her husband had prevented her from warning the guards and their daughter.</p>
<p>But a few moments later, when Hiashi had gone to check on his daughter and found her bed empty and no trace of her chakra in the premises, it all went to hell.</p>
<p>Hayami had cried herself to sleep every night for the next year. Hiashi and their daughter had been consumed with grief. Only when they found they would be welcoming another child; their spirits were lifted a bit.</p>
<p>But the sadness of having lost their first child lingered, and for Hiashi, it led him to a dark place, having not only to deal with a lost child, but a dead spouse as well.</p>
<p>When the news of the failed kidnapping spread all through the elemental countries, Kumo had sworn to have nothing to do with the incident and since there were no concrete proof that those ninja had been theirs, the third Hokage told them there was nothing that could be done without more evidence.</p>
<hr/>
<p><em>For a while</em>, Hayami had been able to forget about the whole ordeal.</p>
<p>Especially when her daughter died, having been consumed by a greater pain. But the thought that she might have prevented it from happening lingered.</p>
<p>Her husband had had a much more violent response, not only cursing Hiashi for <em>killing </em>their daughter, but also putting part of the blame on Hinata, swearing that it had been because of birthing her that their only daughter had succumbed to the illness after Hanabi was born.</p>
<p>It was only when Hinata showed up at the compound all these years later that all the suppressed emotions came back.</p>
<p>"Foolish woman. What's done it's done. Now we just have to find a way to return her to Orochimaru or outright kill her. Either way is fine by me. I just want that thing away from us."</p>
<p>Thinking about either option brought bile to her mouth.</p>
<p>Shaking her head, she clenched the bedsheets as hard as she could so that she wouldn't hit her husband from spewing such disgusting words. <em>How dare he?</em></p>
<p>"I won't allow it." Standing her ground, Hayami warned her husband, but the words she was met with sent a chill down her spine.</p>
<p>"<em>I wonder,</em>" Rubbing his chin, the man gave his wife the most innocent look he could master, "what Hiashi will say once he finds out <em>who's</em> the person behind <em>my </em>granddaughter's kidnapping…" Hayami's eyes widened, "such a despicable wife I have. I'm outraged! <em>How could you,</em> Hayami?" He had the nerve to lift his hand to put a stray lock of hair behind her ear and then kiss her forehead. "I cannot believe this is the woman I married."</p>
<p>She could only stare dumbfounded at her husband. He'd put the blame on her. Let her be crucified <em>alone</em>.</p>
<p>But she was already expecting this from him.</p>
<p>Nothing surprised her anymore when it came to her husband's cruelty, <em>but to hear those words?</em></p>
<p>She had nothing to give but silence.</p>
<p>"Oh you're quiet now? Good. Now that it's settled let us sleep. Tomorrow we'll reconvene with the rest of the council to draw up a proper plan."</p>
<p><em>But</em> Hayami found no sleep and allowed for her mind to torture her with the consequences of her actions. Letting her daughter's image haunt her as she cried for the child she had lost and would never meet again.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"So when are you training with me?" Hanabi asked impatiently as she brushed Hinata's hair. "Training with dad and Neji-nii has become <em>so</em> boring. I want you to teach me all those cool moves!" Shifting a bit in her spot, Hinata turned her head sideways to answer.</p>
<p>"Don't really know. With the Hokage's inauguration tomorrow everyone in the village will know I'm here… the elders said I needed to keep a low profile," Hinata bit her lip, remembering how the elder's behavior had been stranger than usual. She <em>knew</em> they were hiding something. She just needed to figure out what it was. "and they have increased the amount of '<em>lessons'</em>. I'm afraid my schedule is quite busy now, <em>firecracker</em>." Trying to alleviate her sister's mood, Hinata used the nickname Naruto had apparently given her, earning a chuckle from the younger Hyuga.</p>
<p>Smiling to herself, Hanabi kept combing the hair with one of the brushes she swiped from the room where her mother's belongings sat.</p>
<p>For years she had used it on her own hair for special occasions, but since Hinata had come to her life, and hers was identical to her mother's, or <em>at least it looks like it is, </em>a small part of Hanabi liked to imagine it was her mother's hair she was playing with.</p>
<p>But she was still content that Hinata allowed her such liberties and never complained when she probably tugged way too hard or got the brush tangled in her hair whenever she would accidently let it fall.</p>
<p>It was another sisterly activity she got to indulge, and she loved when it was Hinata herself that suggested they spent more time together.</p>
<p>Hanabi isn't stupid and she knew that Hinata struggled and tried to hide her emotions when dealing with the rest of the family, <em>especially</em> their father. But Hanabi appreciated that she was at least <em>trying</em> and was more receptive to her.</p>
<p>Neji came to a close second in the chart, but Hanabi knew it was only because Hinata found it funny when he fell for her small pranks and got all flustered by her teasing.</p>
<p>Hanabi found it funny as well and would often replicate her sister's behavior, driving Neji to become an exasperated mess, having to retreat to meditation for his oh so treasured tranquility.</p>
<p>"They're just a bunch of old farts with nothing better to do than prod our lives." Hanabi picked up a section of her sister's hair that had a lot of knots and proceeded to try and untangle them. "I mean, <em>even</em> grandpa. He is always complaining about my posture and the way I behave. Grandma used to help but now she doesn't say a thing about his words. It's strange really."</p>
<p>Turning to face her younger sister, Hinata looked at her flushed cheeks. "Every time I come close to her, she practically rans away from me… is that normal or is she skittish only when I'm around?"</p>
<p>Dropping the brush, Hanabi crawled on the bed until she sat next to her sister. "Well, not really. She's usually very warm and caring… even with people she doesn't know." Both sister's frowned, expressions nearly identical. "But maybe she's like this cause you look so much like mom did!"</p>
<p>Stiffening, Hinata turned to look out her window. It was late, and Hanabi was supposed to be in bed, preparing for the Hokage's inauguration.</p>
<p><em>Hanabi's the Hyuga heir</em>, and she needs to be presentable tomorrow, as for Hinata… she couldn't sleep so she had already planned on finding Neji for another one of their deep talks.</p>
<p>"Hmm. You're probably right." Biting on one of her nails, Hinata then nodded towards the brush and the door. "It's time for bed missy, go before Natsu checks your room and finds you missing."</p>
<p>"But-"</p>
<p>"No buts! Thank you for your help." Placing a hand on top of the girl's head, she ruffled the strands a bit, earning a whine from her younger sibling and a quiet mutter of goodbye.</p>
<p>After Hanabi left, Hinata went to the branch side of the compound, hoping to find her cousin in another one of his late night patrols. Well, she first jumped onto the roof and checked if there were any other people monitoring her. Naruto hadn't been in his spot tonight, having been replaced by what Hinata learned to be the <em>anbu</em>.</p>
<p>Shrugging, she quickly found where Neji lazily patrolled, being no doubt on the verge of falling asleep where he stood.</p>
<p>"Oi! Hyuga!" Hinata playfully called out as she jumped down from the roof, right behind her cousin.</p>
<p>"<em>Shit</em>. Hinata don't fucking do that." Startled, Neji turned around and glared at her who enjoyed making these surprising entrances that almost made his heart jump out of his chest. "Jeez… have some respect for your elders." He joked, allowing her to follow him along.</p>
<p>Snorting, Hinata walked with Neji towards the koi pond. "My apologies your highness." Bowing deep at the waist, she made sure Neji saw the playful smirk on her lips before she stood upright.</p>
<p>"Next time I'll-" She began but Neji quickly interrupted by shoving her away.</p>
<p>"You won't."</p>
<p>Hinata pinched his arm in retaliation and settled against the small gazebo. Neji always claimed he would catch her, but after twenty tries, he had always failed. She was sure it was eating at him.</p>
<p>"What do you want? In case you haven't noticed I'm-"</p>
<p>"There's literally nothing in the premises that might be of danger. I check every night. Now sit with me." Pulling him down by his arm, he reluctantly sat next to her on the steps and waited for her to state her business.</p>
<p>She started with, "How are the kids?"</p>
<p>"Can't stop blabbering about their new hero." Neji looks over his right and finds Hinata leaned back on her elbows looking at the stars. "Kimiko is grateful for what you did." He saw a strange look pass in her eyes, but as soon as it came it disappeared.</p>
<p>Neji had become accustomed to it, thinking nothing of it until he heard Natsu's nephew say something about a weird glow in Hinata's eyes. He had made a mental note to ask Hinata what it was all about and since they were alone now, he would stir the conversation in a way that would get him some answers that she chose to deflect most of the time.</p>
<p>"That elder had it coming… picking on those two. They are so <em>damn</em> bigoted." She spat, remembering that particular incident earlier that day.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>*FLASHBACK ON*</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Hinata had just left another etiquette class and was walking through corridors and although she didn't want to admit it… she got lost in the maze that is the Hyuga compound. Then she saw Natsu's niece and nephew running around and decided to follow them, hoping they could lead her to the kitchen where she had a tray of cinnamon buns waiting.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>They had entered the restricted library, and by restricted, it meant that it was only for members of the main house. As she neared the entrance, she heard someone yell things that no child should ever hear.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The scene she was met with made her left eye twitch and the power she tried so hard to conceal fluctuate.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>One of the elders Hinata deemed as the most despicable, held the little girl's hair in a tight grip and was dragging the boy by the hair in the back of his neck towards a more secluded area of the library, all the while muttering endless curses.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Entering the room silently, Hinata masked her chakra and cracked a few of her fingers on her left hand.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Leaving the door ajar as not to lift any suspicions, she encompassed the room with a barrier so that no one outside the library heard what happened inside.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>You two need to learn the </em>hard way<em>." He threw the crying children on the floor and pushed the sleeves of his robes back. "You filthy rats don't have the right to touch such precious scrolls. Their meant for the eyes of the </em>superior<em> Hyuga."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The little girl held on to her brothers shirt tightly and the boy had a look of defiance on his face, but his eyes revealed how scared he truly was. Although the girl's forehead bore no markings, Hinata saw the caged bird seal on the boy, and it made her clench her jaw as she foresaw what was about to happen.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Neji had told her of the effects of the seal when used on a child that young. One of their cousins was met with severe injury and had passed away weeks after it had been used on him. Hinata hated the idea of such thing ever happening again, so she promised that once her brothers and sisters were freed from Orochimaru, she would ask Akihiko to end this outrageous tradition of the Hyuga.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>If the old sack of bones thought he would be using the seal, he was severely mistaken.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>P-Please. W-We didn't." The boy pleaded in between sobs, his sister now fully hidden behind her brother, bawling her eyes out. Their broken pleas for help made Hinata activate two of her marks. Since the barrier was up, no one outside would spot the spike in her chakra.</em></p>
<p>"You nothing<em>. Children your age need to be disciplined correctly. This ought to teach you some manners-" When he lifted his hands to form the hand sign, Hinata touched the back of his neck lightly, knowing how much damage that small gesture would cause.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>What she had done to Hiashi during training was nothing compared to this, but since she couldn't fully use all seven marks without having to explain everything, she would have to get her hands dirty, or at least as dirty as it could get without scarring the children for the rest of their lives.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>If you </em>ever<em> touch a hair on those children's heads, I'll make sure no one ever finds your body." Hinata stepped closer to the elder's crouching figure, delighted by the man's wails of pain. Tilting her head, she kicked him softly in the ribs, only to see him fall to the ground, face twisted in agony.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The elder's tenketsu's were being closed one by one, and if Hinata didn't help him in the next two minutes he would be dead with no traces as to how it had happened.</em>
</p>
<p>Technically<em>, nothing was happening, physically speaking he was fine, but his mind thought otherwise. Hinata had simply released a small burst on energy that disrupted his entire nervous system, making him believe his tenketsus were being messed with.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>She let out a dark chuckle, biting her lip as she thought about how much fun it would be if the children weren't present.</em>
</p>
<p>"I knew it<em>. You're a bloody monster. Orochimaru's daughter. You should be dead!" He sputtered, grabbing onto his chest as Hinata kept staring at him, face void of emotion aside from a cruel smirk.</em></p>
<p>"<em>Now </em>that's<em> mean." Turning around she saw the children now hiding in a corner, looking at her as if she was their salvation. "You have not only been rude to those kids but to </em>me<em> as well."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Crossing her arms, Hinata feigned a pout. "I think we deserve an apology, right kids?" The little girl's whimpering echoed throughout the room as the boy nodded shyly.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>You know, I have been able to keep it to myself ever since I got here, but if there's something I don't tolerate is violence against those who can't defend themselves, </em>especially<em> children." She was now crouching down to the man's level, and in her eyes, he saw a strange glow sparking every now and then. "Back with Orochimaru, he gave handed me people to toy with, well it was for training purposes, to see how far I could get, but it was always with despicable men like you," Her hand touched his temple, drawing small circles as she continued speaking to him in a tone that the kids wouldn't hear. "And although a part of me absolutely repudiates those times, when I'm like </em>this<em>, all those feelings that would normally prevent me from acting upon my instincts, just completely disappear…"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Y-You f-freak-" The elder tried, in vain, to spat on Hinata's face but it was useless. Every small movement he made seemed to make the pain worst.</em></p>
<p>"<em>Ah! No! </em>Bad elder!<em> Maybe you're the one who needs to be taught some manners!" She tutted, tapping his nose as she stood back up. "Now, apologize to Kimiko-chan and Katsu-chan."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>As much as he wished to curse the girl and get back at her, he understood he was in no position to do such thing. All he could do, for now, was to comply with her demands and hope his life would be spared.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>After the apology was delivered with a promise never to do something like that again, Hinata blinked and the elder was finally able to let out a breath of relief as the pain slowly ebbed away.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>See? Wasn't so hard was it?" She asked sardonically, each child holding one of her hands as the elder struggled o get up. "Now, who wants to eat some cinnamon buns with me?"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>As if the events from minutes ago had never happened, the children happily agreed and pulled Hinata along. She winked at the elder, a silent threat in those pale lavender eyes that if he were to ever speak of this, she would come through with her promise.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Then, she left the room, dispelling the barrier and the marks as she walked down the halls towards the kitchen. The giggling children asking her numerous questions, and asking her to play with them</em>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>*FLASHBACK OFF*</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>"I'm fully aware of that, but how did you actually managed to pull that one out?" Neji inquired, arms crossed as he waited for her.</p>
<p>"I was lucky, I guess." She shrugged and stared back into his eyes. "Have you talked with your friends?"</p>
<p>Scoffing, Neji rolled his eyes. "You do know they're going to ask you innumerous questions and it's more than likely they won't be contempt with your half assed answers."</p>
<p>"Half assed?" Hinata feigned being hurt, her right hand coming to rest on top of her heart. "When have I not been honest with you my beloved cousin."</p>
<p>"Whenever we talk about your life or touch the subject of your siblings you always find a way to direct the conversation elsewhere. You <em>avoid </em>talking about yourself, Hinata." Neji had heeded to her request of arranging a dinner at the compound with konoha's eleven. But he also knew how Hinata would react when meeting them.</p>
<p>She could barely handle the people here at the compound, how would she behave when met with all those strong personalities? When she got overwhelmed, Hinata tended to hide herself in her room, claiming to be undisposed, but Neji knew better.</p>
<p>As far as he knew, she had grown up in a very secluded place with very few interactions outside of Orochimaru, Kabuto and her siblings. And Neji had noticed how she would try and hide her panic when there were a lot of strange people around her, and that was proven when they had gone out and met not only Naruto but Ino and Sakura as well.</p>
<p><em>Why</em> she wanted to go through this dinner Neji did not know, but he guessed it was just another way for her to try and adapt to her new life.</p>
<p>"You do know that forcing yourself to go through this type of social interactions do you more harm than good right?" He placed a hand on her left shoulder, watching as she closed her eyes and sighted.</p>
<p>"Well, I know you, Naruto, I could say Kiba, and Sakura and her blonde friend! I suppose it won't be <em>that </em>hard to endure a simple dinner."</p>
<p>"We'll see." And with that Neji stood back up and motioned for her to follow as he went on his patrol.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>*FLASHBACK ON*</strong>
</p>
<p><strong>(A/N: </strong>this happens a year before Sasuke leaves Orochimaru to fight with Itachi, aka before he found out the truth about his brother<strong>)</strong></p>
<p>"<em>Here." Orochimaru slid a folded piece of paper across the table towards Hinata. "When you're ready, you know what to do."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Hinata stared at it for a few minutes before picking it up and inspecting the seal. Her eyes met her father's and he smiled, nodding towards the door. "He's in his room if you want to ask him now. He's supposed to go on an errand tomorrow, so you better make it quick." Placing his hand on top of her head, Orochimaru ruffled her hair a bit before moving towards the door out of the dining room.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>You're certain this will work?" Hinata folded the paper again and put it in the back pocket of her pants. "We don't know if he's gonna agree with this… Sasuke's focused on killing his brother, there's no way he'll risk it now."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>She turned to her father with a worried look.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>As much as she wanted to ask for Sasuke's help, she didn't want to compromise his goals. Applying the seal would mean that their lives would be linked and although it could be considered advantageous, it also had its drawbacks.</em>
</p>
<p>Could she really ask something like this of him?</p>
<p><em>Sure they had become friends over the years, but there were a lot of things she didn't know about Sasuke that could come back to bite her in the ass later on. Hinata had to first make sure it wouldn't only be advantageous for </em>him<em>, since the </em>anchor<em> was able to tap into the fury's power whenever they wanted to.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>And knowing Sasuke…</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Talk to him first." Orochimaru's looked over his shoulder to find Hinata cracking her fingers one by one and biting her lip. </em>A clear sign of uncertainty<em>. "Bargain with him. He would never break his word, so make sure he promises never to tap into your power without your permission." Shrugging, he left her alone in the spacious room, heading towards the training room hoping to find either Temari or Omoi to see how much they had progressed.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>That left Hinata to pace around the hallway in front of Sasuke's bedroom door.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Clenching and unclenching her fingers, she managed to knock on his door a couple of times.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Fifteen minutes of pacing around like that almost made me think you were finally loosing it." The dark haired Uchiha opened the door and Hinata gave him a pointed look.</em></p>
<p>"Not yet,<em> Uchiha. </em>Not yet<em>." She pushed past him, bumping his injured arm accidently. "Father told me you're leaving tomorrow?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Hn." Trying to hide his flinch, he leaned back against the door whilst crossing his arms. "I'll be back by the end of the next week, depending on the intel me and that idiot gather."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Rolling her eyes at the way he referred to Suigetsu, Hinata pointed towards his right arm that held a few dark bruising's, the one she had accidently bumped into. "How's your arm?"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She then plopped down on his bed and watched as Sasuke rolled his shoulders picking up a few bandages he had laying on top of the small table in the corner of the room.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Could be worst." He seemed to be struggling and Hinata noticed how he kept closing his eyes for far longer than he should. "Your brothers enjoy torturing me it seems."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Oh c'mon," The bluenette laughed as she stood to go help him. "Don't be such a crybaby. Omoi was only using his third. How bad could it have been?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Tsk," Sasuke glared but extended his arm for her to help. "The problem is not Omoi. </em>Matchstick<em> seems to be enjoying his fifth." He watched as Hinata made a quick work with the bandages and quirked an eyebrow up, noticing a faint trace of a black line on her hand.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Ignoring the incoming reprimand of having called her older sibling matchstick, he asked, "You okay?"</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Hm?" Not noticing Sasuke had been staring, after she was done, she went back to her spot and sat on what used to be a perfectly well made bed. "Yeah! Father said he'll be needing me and Karui for a mission next week, so I was training with her earlier today… You know, if you ever notice Aki-nii is exaggerating you can always use your mangyeko on him, right?" She smirked and cracked a knuckle as she leaned back towards the wall. "You can also torture him back using toads."</em></p>
<p>"Toads<em>?" Sasuke sat on a chair by a small desk he had on the left side of the room, his bed sat on the corner side pushed up against the wall.</em></p>
<p>"<em>You're seriously telling me that idiot is afraid of toads?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Yup!" She answered, making a popping sound. "Omoi once caught one and it was our pet for about three days before it jumped right onto his mouth and made him throw up for the whole night. Father made us release it outside and we always use that to prank him." Sensing that Sasuke had his focus on her right hand, she pulled the sleeve of her sweater lower in order to cover it.</em></p>
<p>"<em>I'll think about it." Glancing towards the window, Sasuke noticed that Temari was sneaking out again, only this time she managed to convince Karin and Juugo to go along. "Doesn't she have anything better to do?"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Not bothering to look, Hinata shrugged. "She's meeting with her boyfriend. I've given up on asking about it." She twirled a piece of white hair in between her fingers that had yet to go back to the usual indigo coloring. "Made any progress with your sharingan?"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Sasuke's eyes were currently focused on Temari who seemed to be arguing with Karin about something, before they disappeared in the forest, out of his sight. His room faced the forest in the back of the building, so he often caught the blonde sneaking in and out.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He always wondered how she managed to escape that easily but asked no questions since he himself sometimes sneaked out once in a while.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Managed hold it for a longer period of time today. According to Kabuto in a few weeks I will be able to sustain it for at least double the time, with less strain to my eyes" He looked back at Hinata who seemed distracted by something. Leaning back on his chair, he waited until she decided to tell him what was bothering her. "I'll need to do some more training with Karui to work on the less strain part."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Cool." She looked back down to her hand and traced the fading mark. She thought about what her father had told her and considered whether or not to ask that favor of Sasuke, feeling the paper inside the pocket almost burn through the fabric, the more she thought about it.</em></p>
<p>A lifelong favor.</p>
<p>
  <em>It had been two years since he had joined them, and it took a while for Hinata to consider him trustworthy. When he first arrived Hinata could barely tolerate him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Temari wasn't much better, but since their father had insisted, they trained together but all it took was five minutes in the same room before Akihiko was called in to replace the blonde.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He wouldn't talk to them and when he did, it was always accompanied by a glare and talks of not being interested in their bullshit and that he was only there to get strong enough to defeat his brother. Always looking down his nose at them, Hinata always thought that Sasuke could shove his superiority complex up his ass and made sure he was aware of how much she disliked him by avoiding his presence altogether, only acknowledging his existence when her father was in the same room.</em>
</p>
<p><em>After six months, Sasuke moved in permanently to the hideout where Hinata and the others lived. </em>That's<em> when she began understanding him more and in turn, Sasuke got close to her as well.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Aki formed some sort of weird companionship with him and Omoi joined in not long after. The three would often sparring together and work to improve their abilities.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But then Akihiko said something about Hinata being the lightning fury and that she'd be a better training partner, that seemed to peak Sasuke's interest. Hinata hated when he would approach her and talk about his plans to one day murder his brother, avenge his clan, and how he would become one of the strongest shinobi in history at the same time.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The bluenette would always roll her eyes and refuse his proposals.</em>
</p>
<p><em>To her he was only interested in using her for </em>his<em> own benefit and then after he was done, discard her and her family. He didn't care who he hurt whilst trying to achieve his goal.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>And Hinata understood that he wanted to avenge his family, she didn't judge him for wanting revenge but if he wanted to do it, he'd have to do so with his own power and not through others.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>So that was why she was so reticent in asking him to be her anchor, but all things considered, Sasuke was her perfect match. Or so father claimed.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Just spit it out."</em></p>
<p>"<em>What?" She looked up from her hands on her lap towards his obsidian eyes.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Taking a deep breath, Sasuke crossed his arms. "You came here with a specific purpose. Spit it out."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Taking the paper, she got up and stood in front of him, right hand shaking a bit as she handed the seal to him. The Uchiha opened it, frowning at the unknown drawing. He lifted up a quizzical eyebrow and Hinata released her bottom lip from the confines of her teeth.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>You remember when I explained to you what I am?" Sasuke nodded, understanding where she was going with this and why she was nervous. "Well, do you </em>also<em> remember when I told you that sometimes the power can drive the vessel mad?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Yeah," Sasuke's eyes lowered to inspect the seal he had been handed. "That's why the original was divided into five different </em>fury<em>'s, so that it was somehow contained… but I thought that only happened when someone tried to merge or when-" he paused, recalling Orochimaru's warnings, why he had taken her in the first place. "You're-"</em></p>
<p><em>Hinata waved her hands frantically, not wanting to hear what she already knew. What she already </em>felt<em>. "Father and kabuto-nii found a solution. Karin will be applying this since she's the only Uzumaki we know of that can do this without killing us or-"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Wait! </em>Us<em>?" Sasuke stood, towering over Hinata's small frame. "What are you asking of me exactly?" His fingers twitched, clenching the paper on his other hand.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Whatever Hinata wanted he usually tended to comply, but if impaired him from achieving his ultimate goal of avenging his family…</em>
</p>
<p><em>Hinata sensed Sasuke's chakra increasing, anxiousness written all over his face as he got closer and closer to her. "I need you to be my </em>anchor<em>."</em></p>
<p><em>The bluenette placed her hands on his chest, stopping him from pushing her against the wall. "Before you say no- this will be a win win situation! I get to keep my fucking sanity and you get to tap into my powers when you're in severe distress, like- when you finally fight Itachi… </em>I can help you.<em>"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Her hand came up to cup his face, his dark eyes softening. "Please, Sasuke. You're the only one that can do this with me."</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>What happens after?" There had to be a </em>but, <em>otherwise Hinata wouldn't be this nervous.</em></p>
<p>"<em>Our lives will be linked. Forever." </em>Or at least that's what father says<em>, she thought to herself.</em></p>
<p>"<em>And if it's broken?" If it could be broken, then Sasuke would be her anchor up until she found someone else more suited to the role.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Smiling weakly, Hinata spoke as if it were nothing. "Death..."</em>
</p>
<p><em>Sasuke's eyes widened, his heart racing as he thought on </em>why <em>exactly Hinata was willingly binding herself to someone like him.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>After a few minutes of silence, Hinata spoke up, unsure whether or not Sasuke would help her.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>So… You in?"</em></p>
<p>
  <strong>*FLASHBACK OFF*</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>*ELSEWHERE*</strong>
</p>
<p>Sasuke felt like someone had broken every bone in his body. He also had no idea of how long he had been unconscious, but from the look of it, it had been a while.</p>
<p>The only thing he knew was that he had to find Hinata and apologize. He had fucked up big time and now he had no idea how to fix it. He had lied to her all these years. Taken advantage of her kindness and done nothing to repay everything she had done for him.</p>
<p>When Madara of all people appeared Sasuke knew it was the end of the line for him. Orochimaru was still recuperating from his injuries and Kabuto had fled with the snake the moment it all happened.</p>
<p>One moment he and Hinata had been outside, drinking and joking about random stuff, then a figure came out of nowhere calling out to them. When he saw the black robes with the red clouds and orange mask, he had activated his kekkei genkai almost instantly and pulled Hinata away.</p>
<p>But words were said and lies were unveiled.</p>
<p>He could only watch, not knowing what to say or do. <em>Utterly Frozen</em> as Hinata fell to the ground, pulling at her hair as she screamed, going on and on that it wasn't possible, that her father would never do that to her, to the others. That <em>he </em>would never lie to her.</p>
<p>Sasuke gulped, remembering how she looked so small, turning to him, asking him to say that it was all a lie and that he hadn't betrayed her like that. He <em>deserved </em>all the blows she had delivered. He had done nothing to stop her from taking it out on him.</p>
<p>He tried to tug on the bond between them, but it was useless, since he could barely keep his eyes open to do so. But a voice woke him up instantly.</p>
<p>"Ah. Sleeping beauty has finally woken up." Aki's tone might have been playful, but Sasuke knew how to read in between the lines. He was pissed and there was a huge amount of killing intent coming from the fire <em>fury</em>. "Wakey wakey Sasudouche."</p>
<p>Sasuke cursed him, hating the moniker Aki had came up with when they were younger. "Where's-"</p>
<p>"<em>Hinata</em>?" The brunette asked, stepping closer to where Sasuke lay, "Now that's a great question."</p>
<p>Frowning, Sasuke tried to pull himself up and that resulted in him bending awkwardly over the bed, legs shaky as he finally stood. "<em>What</em>?"</p>
<p>"She's gone! She fled to god knows where. Father sent your team, and they have an idea as to where she might be, but what I'm concerned about is <em>why </em>she ran away. What the fuck did <em>you</em> do?"</p>
<p>It was easier to ask what he hadn't done. If Hinata had left, it meant she went to see if what Madara had told her was true. And if she was in Konoha, then she probably knew everything by now. How he had betrayed his team, his friends, chased after a ghost and followed Orochimaru in search for more power.</p>
<p>"Hn. I'm the one all bandaged up and you're asking <em>me </em>what <em>I </em>have done?"</p>
<p>Akihiko's eyes narrowed, not wanting to deal with it right now. He wanted answers, and he would be getting them. "Cut the crap. You're her <em>anchor</em>. You're supposed to <em>be there</em> for her, to <em>protect</em> her. And once again you failed ridiculously.</p>
<p>"Honestly Sasudouche, I thought you'd at least be successful with this task… You really are a useless piece of shit."</p>
<p>Sasuke turned away from his burning gaze, mind going over his options and how badly his body currently was. If he was to go get Hinata back, then he needed to get back in shape, but he honestly doubted his arm could function properly.</p>
<p>"Why are you here?"</p>
<p>"I want <em>answers</em>. Tell me where my sister is."</p>
<p>Sasuke knew that he needed to do this alone, having Akihiko trailing along would only cause more problems since it would imply having to tell <em>him </em>the truth. And he honestly didn't want another beating. Having Hinata leaving him in a comatose state was more than enough.</p>
<p>"I don't know."</p>
<p>Aki held onto his hair, a nervous laugh leaving his lips as he repeated what Sasuke had said. "You're her fucking <em>anchor</em>! You can tap into the bond and-"</p>
<p>Before Aki could proceed with his ranting, a chill ran down the brunette's spine.</p>
<p>"<em>That's enough</em>." Orochimaru's voice echoed through the room, causing Sasuke to close his eyes and Aki to sputter out some ridiculous explanation as to why he was there.</p>
<p>But the sannin only held his hand up, making his son quiet down. "Omoi is waiting in the training room. <em>Go</em>."</p>
<p>Akihiko knew it was useless to fight his father on this, and so he left, making plans on returning later that day, hopefully Omoi would come along and together they would get out of the Uchiha Hinata's whereabouts.</p>
<p>"Hinata is in Konoha." The snake sannin spoke, after making sure his son was long gone.</p>
<p>"<em>I know</em>." Sasuke chuckled, imagining how Orochimaru must be on the inside. "I'm going to get her back."</p>
<p>"Good. And you better not fail me again, otherwise you know what happens." With that, Orochimaru left the room, but his shadow stayed back.</p>
<p>"Pardon Orochimaru-sama. It has been quite stressful without Hina-chan around." Kabuto inspected Sasuke's wounds, replacing a few bandages and checking his IV. "Your team came back with new information, and as we've feared, Hinata now <em>knows everything</em>," when he was done, there was a sadistic smile on his face. "Unfortunately, it will at least take another three months to get you ready. So I suggest you get comfortable." Kabuto fluffed Sasuke's pillow as the Uchiha sat back down and slowly laid back.</p>
<p>"If you're done, get out of my sight."</p>
<p>Throwing up his hands in mock surrender, Kabuto left Sasuke alone with his thoughts.</p>
<p>Sitting up had made the Uchiha dizzy, but Sasuke didn't care, his main focus was coming up with a story that would convince Hinata that he regretted keeping her true heritage a secret from her. And a plan that would help him bring her back home.</p>
<p>The bluenette Hyuga was the only person he had left that he truly cared about. And once again he had screwed things up, with no apparent way to fix it.</p>
<p>For all the times Hinata had been there for him, helped get through the <em>nightmares</em>, the <em>loneliness</em> that grabbed his heart and the pain of losing Itachi. She had been there for him every single time he needed her to.</p>
<p>And when the time came for <em>him </em>to be there for Hinata, he had abandoned her.</p>
<p>Her words would forever haunt him. She was right when she told him he was a selfish bastard that put himself above everyone else, not caring who he stepped on to get what he wanted.</p>
<p>"<em>I will forever regret having</em> you <em>as my anchor. You're</em> dead to me."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm back-ish. This chapter is way longer than the others, but I didn't want to split it so… I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I decided to show a little more of what the Hyuga thought about Hinata coming back home and the relationship between her and Sasuke…</p>
<p>Just a little side note in case you guys didn't catch it… When Hinata and the other 'shift' into their fury form – call upon their marks – it's almost as if they begin shutting down their humanity, leaving only the rawest form of emotion, making them act upon their first instinct… the higher the 'mark' the worst they get, hence why they can get lost on themselves over time…</p>
<p>Been loving reading you guys comments! Thank you so much for all your support!</p>
<p>As always,</p>
<p>See you guys next time!</p>
<p>Ella</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone! I've been debating if I should post this fic or not but since I will be taking a bit longer than expected writing the next few Echoes of Silence chapters, I decided to post it!</p><p>This is AU is somewhat canon compliant, but I don't want to give much away cause you'll read more about it in next chapters!</p><p>Any predictions on who Hinata's mysterious friend is?</p><p>See you next chapter!</p><p>Ella</p><p>P.S: I've finally created a tumblr so yeah, if you have any questions you can either pm me here or leave your questions over there! Username is ellaroundpanda</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>